A Fragile Heart
by Fomalhaut
Summary: MY FIRST, NOW CUT, FANFIC. The story of young clericdruidmage Mégane, accompanied through original NWN by a watchful hawk and a talkative pixie unusual love stories ie. Fenthick, Wyvern.... Please R&R, I see several hits...
1. A crazy family

**To anyone who starts reading this story now - I am perfeclty aware of the fact that the initial chapters are pretty bad, I wasn't too good at fanfic that time. So, please, read the first 3 ones to get a point of the story, then skip whatever you want until chapter 12, and MOSTLY CHAPTER 13 - CHAPTER 13, THOUGH IT'S LONG, CONTAINS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGES IN MY HEROINE'S LIFE.**

**Thanks.

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Disclaimer: I don't own NWN, and the main character's father is taken from another game (Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor)

Mègane walked out of her room and looked around.

In the living room her mother, the elf Maryah, was just writing her autobiography, sure it was going to be a best-seller. Her family renounced to the 700 years of life, so now she was 40, as a normal human. Her husband, the human sorcerer Jarial, was staring at her sadly.

- What's the matter, dad? – asked Mègane.

- Maryah is just at the part where she burnt down half of the temple because using Firestorm when she was at level 1.

- Yeah, I found that scroll interesting, and so! And just wait 'til I write down when I used Resurrection on the bodies of my best friend's parents, murdered 19 years before...

Maryah was a cleric who made an art out of breaking every rule in the world. Her mentor, great priestess Nekly, did forgive her for the resurrection only because she didn't do it for herself, and surviving to such a wild spell clearly showed that she was one of the most talented elves she'd ever seen.

- Ah, Mègane! – she threw back her long, light brown hair – I cooked your breakfast using Flamestrike. I think it became tasty! It's out in the kitchen!

After breakfast (which, let's admit it, was really special), Mègane's older brother Mac, who looked exactly like Maryah apart from the fact of being a boy, stormed inside her room.

- Do you wanna play again? – he asked.

- No sorry, I still have the scar from the last time though Mom healed me!

- What are you two talking about? – Mac's twin sister Jenna, who resembled their father with her dark hair and quiet attitude, stood in the doorway

- Well Jenna, when you were not at home, Mac and I used to play "The hero Mac Fireland against the goblins" – said Mègane, then added – I was the goblin, of course.

- MAC!

"This is my 100 normal family" concluded Mègane.

Six months later, Mac and Jenna were already on their way for Luskan, searching for adventures.

- That's not right! – said Mègane for the 1000th time since they went away – why can they go and I can't?

- Because you're only 17 and a half years old! – said Jarial.

- Yes, and Daddy's Little Girl – Maryah rolled her eyes – see, love, I was 16 when I joined the team that in the end destroyed the Pool of Radiance! Let Mègane try!

- And you will resurrect her?

- 'Course! But I don't think we'll need that. She's strong enough now. A cleric. I taught her all she might need.

- Another cleric like you and...

- No, Jarial, you're wrong. I told her NOT to be like me... I don't think Nekly will be forgiveful again.

And with this Mègane, hearing of Aribeth's call, started her journey towards Neverwinter.

She knew she'll never be alone. Maryah told her to cast Light in the sky whenever she needed someone – and she'd be right there for her.

Oh, and I forgot Mègane's stats: Neck-length dark red hair, dark bluish-green eyes, 170 cms tall, Neutral Good Cleric.

Do you think I should go on?


	2. A bloody day and love at first sight

This chapter is gonna be much longer and will have more action than the 1st one, which was only an introduction. And I changed some dialogues, I don't wanna copy the whole NWN inside here.

Mégane walked over the lands, thinking about her skills. She was a cleric, but also had some experience as a mage, thanks to her father, and some bits of a druid.

She called for Thya, her hawk, and Elenthe, her pixie.

- You know, I needed some company.

Thya rested on her shoulder, while Elenthe assured her to be always there when she was in need.

Later that day, the doors of the Academy of Neverwinter closed behind her. She saw little of the city, but far enough of the Wailing Death to know she had to do something.

_Dear Lady Mégane Fireland, _

_I'm looking forward to seeing you here at the Academy of Neverwinter. For I have heard about your skills, and since I got to know that you're the daughter of two of the legendary heroes of Myth Drannor, the cleric and the sorcerer, I'm even more excited. I've read about them, and I'm sure your destiny is to become a legend like them, or even a greater one – I hope you'll one day wear the title of „The hero of Neverwinter". May Tyr go with you._

_Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande_

- Yeah! I'm gonna be a hero! – Mégane swung her sword and almost cut Elenthe in two, but didn't notice.

- You're gonna be a criminal, unless you're more careful – said a blonde-haired boy.

- And you are...?

- Pavel. And you're Mégane Fireland, right?

- Indeed.

- Is that true? That Lady Aribeth herself invited you here at the Academy? I'm just a simple recruit...

- Yes, it's true... – Mégane showed the letter.

- My best wishes, Mégane. Don't forget to go and greet my brother Bim... maybe he'll have something to teach you.

- Thanks.

Bim was completely identical to Pavel, except for the deeper voice. After telling Mégane the most important bases, he let her go.

Mégane then bought a stronger armor from Olgerd, spoke to Berna, then she was ready to test her fighting skills.

- IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU'VE SHOWED UP, RECRUIT! AND CALL ME „SIR"! – Herdan looked at Mégane like she was a disgusting worm or whatever. Thya let out some weird sounds, while Elenthe flew behind the instructor and began to show some... interesting... signs.

- WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME, LITTLE GIRL?! YOU'D BETTER LISTEN...!!!

Mégane sighed and listened. After half an hour of shouting, she finally said:

- Okay, okay, I understand... can we put an end to this? And what if, instead of „Sir", I simply called you „Shirley"?

- AND YOU THINK YOU'RE HUMOROUS?! BAH!

- Come! – said Mégane to her two companions as she walked over to Dendy and Hewwett to test her skills in melee and ranged attacks. To the instructors' surprise – they weren't expecting this from a cleric/mage/druid – she passed the exams brilliantly.

- Well, well, well... – Jaroo winked at her – there in the chest you'll find two scrolls. Use them to destroy this statue... with that you'll pass the arcane test. And I'm sure you will, considering your father's successes.

„So the voice had got around..." thought Mégane. Back to the arcane test, she had no idea at all about the reason why she had to destroy that lovely statue. But she just threw a magic missile against it without asking too many questions.

- Great! I'm sure Master Jarial will be proud! Please accept this magic ring, as a symbol of my best wishes.

- Thanks. Goodbye, Jaroo.

- So, I see you've cured that injured man. Great. Now, all you have to do is destroy that skeleton – said Elynwyd, the clerics' instructor.

- Ugh! I hate skeletons...

- T. U., then.

- ?!

- Turn Undead.

- Oh! Of course! Erm... how do I do that?

Eventually, Mégane somehow got rid of the skeleton, though Elynwyd found it difficult to believe her parents were heroes.

- Hi! My name's Ketta. But you shouldn't be here. I'm used to train rogues, you know.

- I'll just have a look around.

- Feel free then! – the little lively halfling waved at her.

- Ah, Mégane... Shade's been keeping an eye on you – a young rogue called Seta, appearing out of nowhere, whispered in her ear.

Shade, an elven spy, walked over to her.

- Mégane Fireland, such a charming woman...

- How do you know my name...?

- Oh, it wasn't difficult, for a spy like me. But, listen... the weird fact is I can't see a man in your life! You know, this evening Lady Aribeth is organising a banquet for those who pass the training...

- Go with him! Go with him!!! – whispered Elenthe in Mégane's left ear.

Thya hissed suspiciosly in her right ear.

- Well, I could... oh, okay, Shade.

- I promise you you'll never forget this night.

Elenthe giggled as Mégane blushed.

- Oh Elenthe, the fact is that I'm not sure.

- But it's worth a try, isn't it?

- Yes... but, I remember what everyone told me about love...

_Your heart is beating faster. Your breath is getting harder for a second. Your knees feel like gelatine. You see him... and you feel it. You just know that you want to be with him, whatever it takes. It can happen you don't even know him... but your dream, that moment, is to hold him tight..._

- Mégane! I'm glad to see you here, in the promotion room! From what the instructors told me, and from everything else I know about you, I was really looking forward to this moment!

Mégane stared at Aribeth speechless. She was really an unbelievably charming woman.

- This evening, there will be a banquet. We must organise... what! Did you feel that?!

- What...? What?

- We are under attack!

Suddenly, four dark mages appeared in the four corners of the room. Mégane pulled out her sword, ready to strike down on them.

- Elenthe! Thya! Go on!

The hawk and the pixie did all they could too to push back the attackers.

- I must speak with you! – Lady Aribeth ran to Mégane – take this key!

- For what?

- The Waterdhavian creatures! We've brought them here to create a cure for the Wailing Death. Run! And protect them! Open the great door with this key!

- And you?

- I'm not coming with you! Run, Mégane, don't waste more time!

And Mégane ran, of course with her two faithful companions right behind her.

- Shade! – she stared at the dead bodies on the floor – Ketta! Seta! NO! Thya! Elenthe!

Lots of ugly goblins appeared, but, fortunately, they were no match for an angry half-elf, a lttle pixie, master of hiding, and a high-flying hawk.

- Herdan... Dendy... Hewwett... Jaroo... Elynwyd... DESTROY THE GOBLINS!!! GO ON!!!

Mégane suddenly felt extremely weak. Death will catch up with everyone...

Thya screamed to let her know she had to get to the Waterdhavian beasts as fast as she could.

She ran through many doors, defeated another couple of goblins, with some weak skeletons in addition, when suddenly Pavel ran to her.

- Oh, I'm glad to see you here! They... they've killed my brother Bim! Let me join you!

- Come then, Pavel! – Mégane didn't want to waste any more time.

Running through corridors, they finally ended in a large hall. Unfortunately, an evil dark mage was ready to attack them...

- Elenthe! Thya! Take care of the goblins! Come, Pavel, let this come to an end...

- I hope this is the last door...

They ended up in the stables.

Right in front of Mégane there was a lovely dryad. She then heard a man screaming:

- Kill the dryad!

- Oh no! I must escape! – the spirit disappeared. Mégane quickly looked around. Elenthe, Thya and Pavel were already fighting goblins and dark mages, while a yuan-ti, some ugly brain-creature and a sweet little golden bird disappeared in flashes of light.

Two men were in the room too, an older human, and a young elf, both turning their back on them.

As the last goblin fell, Pavel touched Mégane's shoulder.

- Sorry, I can't go with you any more.

- Pavel! But why...?

- I'm no hero. I just want a nice, quiet life. I doubt our paths will ever cross again. Goodbye, and... good luck!

- Goodbye, Pavel...

- No! This cannot be! The Waterdhavian creatures gone... the Academy students slain!

- All is lost, Fenthick! – the older man turned to the younger one – and... who are you?!

- My name's Mégane. Lady Aribeth sent me here to defend the creatures...

The elf was just about to turn to her, when the older one stopped him.

- How could Aribeth think that such a... such a little girl...

- Hey!

- ... could protect Neverwinter?!

- Desther! Lady Aribeth...

- Bah! I know the feelings you and lady Aribeth have for each other. Now I'll go and let you and your lady love clean up this mess!

Desther walked out of the door. Mégane already didn't like him at all. Elenthe stuck out her little tongue at him.

Then... it happened. Fenthick Moss turned around. He passed a hand through his light brown hair, his hazel eyes looked at Mégane...

_Your heart is beating faster. Your breath is getting harder for a second. Your knees feel like gelatine. You see him... and you feel it. You just know that you want to be with him, whatever it takes. It can happen you don't even know him... but your dream, that moment, is to hold him tight..._


	3. A short chapter about dreams

Thank you, Guan! This week I'll be posting a chapter nearly each day, hope you'll like them! Maybe I'm dumb, but I still don't get the thing about „jumping around", though I didn't leave so many empty lines originally, the site is putting them up... I'm glad you liked the bits about love! There'll be loadsa more... and of course, hope someone else will read it too! And will try to make it a bit humorous, what do you think about that?

So here we go... (and I still don't own NWN etc.)

- You must forgive Desther... – began Fenthick.

Mègane heard nothing but „blah blah blah, Desther, blah blah, Helmites, blah blah..." She was completely charmed by Fenthick's smile and the lovely light in his eyes, without speaking of the way his light brown hair fell on his cute elf-ears, and oh, the sweet sound of his voice, which felt like velvet...

- I'm Fenthick Moss, servant of Tyr and...

- I'm Mègane Fireland, cleric, mage, druid and whatever, this is Thya (pointig at the pixie), this is Elenthe (pointing at the hawk), I'm so glad to see you here, hello, hello, hello...

- Are you all right? – Fenthick was a bit confused, in addititon Mègane was squeezing his hand so tight that he was praying Tyr to leave it unwounded – you look a bit sick...

- Ah! – Mègane showed great talents of actress as she seemed to faint right in his arms.

- Whoa, poor girl... she must be exhausted – Fenthick held her up – do you think she'll be alright?

- Yeah, but she's Thya, and I'm Elenthe – said the pixie, sitting on the hawk.

Fenthick nodded and threw a healing spell on Mègane, who immediately stood up.

- Sorry...

- It's nothing. So, as I was saying, I'm Fenthick Moss...

„Ah, what a lovely name..." thought Mègane „Mrs. Mègane Moss... I like the sound of that!"

But her thoughts of love were immediately crushed as Fenthick continued:

- ... and companion of Lady Aribeth. And...

- Do you mean that...?

- Yes, Aribeth and I are one heart and one soul – Fenthick held his hands on his chest.

- Okay, let's put and end to this... I mean, what do I do now?

Fenthick told Mègane to meet him at the Halls of Justice in a week.

The last night before that day, Mègane was having a weird but exciting dream.

_- Let's fight for him then! – Aribeth held up her sword._

_- I will! – Mègane pulled out a pike._

_They fought for a couple of seconds, then Aribeth planted the sword in her chest. It didn't hurt, so Mègane simply pulled it out and the next momenrt her pike passed through Aribeth's heart. She pulled it out and said:_

_- All right then, Mègane Fireland... I think we should let Fenthick choose._

_Fenthick soon appeared and said:_

_- Well, I choose..._

- WAKE UP!!! IT'S MORNING!!!

Mègane's fist made Elenthe shut up immediately.

- Hey! – said the pixie, while Thya kept on screaming.

- I was having such a great dream about...

- ... yeah yeah, about Mr. Lady Aribeth, I know... but come on, I think it's better to see him in real life.

„Mr. Lady Aribeth...?" Mègane raised an eyebrow.


	4. The Halls of Justice A cheeky hafling

Mègane arrived in a hall full of victims of the Wailing Death, with nurses trying to ease their pain. Fenthick (ah!) and Desther were in the room too. As he saw her, „Mr. Lady Aribeth" ran to her and bowed down.

- Why, you were quick to answer the summon! Let me welcome you in the Halls of Justice...

- This is a mistake, Fenthick! – said Desther – we know nothing about this little girl! Lady Aribeth was wrong to give her such an important task!

- Desther, please. Mègane showed great talents here at the Academy and...

„Ah, how nice of him to protect me..." but soon Mègane was back with her feet on the ground and asked, while throwing a really ugly look at Desther:

- Fenthick, where can I find Lady Aribeth?

- My Lady Aribeth waits for you in the Temple of Tyr of the Halls of Justice... right beyond this door.

„Couldn't he just leave that my off?" and Mègane passed through the door.

Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande now looked even more beautiful than before, which made Mègane feel like a total loser.

- Sorry, at first I didn't get the chance to introduce myself well – the Lady bowed down – I am Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande, paladin of Tyr and now my task is to find a cure for the Wailing Death. What took you so long?

- Oh, I had a little talk with Fenthick... (please say that you don't love him any more or something like that, please please please!!!)

One more vain hope...

- Ah, dear Fenthick, the love of my life. He has been my rock in these difficult times... but let's get back to your task! It's a double task in fact: first, find the Waterdhavian creatures, second, try to find out who or what was behind this attack at the Academy. Anyway, whoever it was, they knew where to find the creatures... a traitor among us! Can you imagine that?!

Mègane shrugged her shoulders.

- I'll do my best to find out.

- Take this gold to buy some equipment and maybe find a henchman! Don't forget that I trust you! The fate of Neverwinter depends on you!

Mègane then received the Stone of Recall to use whenever she needed healing or just to get back at the Halls of Justice. She then entered a side room and met Judge Oleff Uskar, who asked her to go and see Briley, an archeologist dwarf in the Peninsula District. They were trying to find out more about Halueth Never, the elf who put down the foundations of Neverwinter.

Mègane was just about to exit the Halls of Justice when a red-haired halfling with a cheeky smile waved at her.

- Hey! Do you need a henchman?

- Who are you?

The halfling winked at her. He had a pair of deep black eyes.

- Tomi Undergallows, the best-known rogue of Calimshan! If that's not enough... ya see, this city is full of dead people! Never seen so many flies even around the most stinky pubs in Calimshan...

- But that's a horrible thing to say!

- Listen, m'lady, I say what I think! So, getting back to business...

- Yes, in fact, I could use a good rogue... – said Mègane, though Thya hissed in her ear suspiciously.

- Hokey-dokey... 200 gold pieces and I'll be yours.

- I don't want to make you mine, cutie... and let's say 150.

- Hmm... let's make it 175. Wait, no... what type of mission is it?

- I work for Fenthick M... erm... Lady Aribeth. I have to find the Waterdhavian creatures and make a cure for the Wailing Death.

- Whoa, a city to save! I'm gonna be a hero! 150!

- Here you are, Tomi...

- I'm at your commands!

Mègane, Tomi and of course Elenthe and Thya exited the Halls of Justice to find themselves in the City Core. They didn't even have a chance to take a look around when an incredibly scared young girl ran to them.

- You... you're a city guard, right? Please... can you help me?

- Calm down, what's the matter?

- I'm... Bethany... and I live in the Peninsula district. Please... there has been an evasioon from the Prison, and now they're killing everyone...

- I'll see what I can do...

- Oh thank you, thank you! I really count on you!

Thanks to everyone!!! Will you please let me know your opinion about 2 things: 1. What do you think about the FenthickMègane thing? 2. Will he ever find out? 3. Will they ever get a chance?

Ps.: And Tomi fans, watch out!


	5. City Core, Blacklake, and mystery

Thank you, thank you all!!! I'm so glad I'm getting more readers - and Shadow, I AM A HUGE FENTHICK FAN!!! :-) But I'm not angry with you or whatever, you can think what you want... and for the questions: I know perfectly it's up to me, since I already know what's gonna happen, but I wanted to know your thoughts! (Yeah... love conquers all!) Okay in this long chappie you might think I'm speeding up things, but I don't wanna spend hours writing down Mègane's each movement during combat - I'm more concentrated on emotions and fun! Though at the end of NWN's Chapter One it will turn into a tragedy... but don't run so fast! here you go, hope you'll like it!

- Tomi? What do you think?

- Erm... I guess it's better to avoid the Peninsula district.

- For now?

- No... always.

Suddenly a man passed her by and said:

- Well, I can see you're a cleric, why aren't you doing something with the zombies in the Beggar's nest?

- Zombies...? Ugh! Let's head towards Blacklake, Tomi! But first let me have a look around...

- Hey! – Nyatar, an elven druid, waved at her – I can see another friend of nature! I'm Nyatar, of The Great Tree – pointing at the huge oak behind him.

- I'm Mègane Fireland, and these are my friends Thya and Elenthe.

- Hey, m'lady, what about me?!

- Well Tomi, I met you something like 45 minutes ago, but okay, he's Tomi Undergallows.

- Call me „Grin"!

- Very nice, Tomi, but I don't think Nyatar's only wish is to know you better. Sorry, this halfling is not my fault...

- Hey!

- Don't force me to throw a Silence spell on you, okay? Nice to meet you, Nyatar!

- The fact is, Lady Fireland, that I have a big problem. The zoo of Neverwinter, in fact, in the Blacklake district. The animals are suffering, and I hope you can help me...

- Finding the Waterdhavian creatures... making the Peninsula secure again... destroying the zombies at the Beggar's nest... freeing the animals... ah! I forgot one! – Mègane's eyes were shining as she raised her eyes from her diary, where she wrote down what to do, then wrote, in huge letters surrounded by small hearts:_ FENTHICK!!!_

- Whoa, Tomi loves this place!!! – the halfling was dancing around at the Moonstone Mask.

- Tomi...

- Woohoo!!!

- Tomi...

- Who are you, girl? Never seen you before... – a blonde, well-built woman in kinda light clothes touched her shoulder – Ophala Cheldarstorn.

- Euh... Mègane Fireland. What is this place, exactly?

- Oh, nothing to worry about... if you bring me a letter from Judge Oleff to make sure you're not affected by the Wailing Death, you can go to the back rooms... upstairs... where our workers, men and women...

- Okay, I think I have heard enough...

- But if they had Mr. Lady Aribeth upstairs... – she heard a whisper.

- ELENTHE!!! NEXT TIME I WILL...

- Oh come on, you never do so! – laughed the pixie.

- Thank you Ophala, it was nice knowing you... anything else I can do for you?

- Actually, yes.

The next thing Mègane wrote down in her diary was: _Bringing an urn and a portrait from the Blacklake disrict, and a small statue from the Docks to Ophala Cheldarstorn._

Mègane next went to the Cloaktower and asked Eltoora if she had a chance to join the gild. Her new task was to bring back four different objects from the four districts of the city.

After dragging Tomi out of the Moonstone Mask and dragging the totally drunk halfling after her to the Trade of Blades to see if she can find anything more useful, Graxx, the leader, whispered to her.

- Hey! Want some action?

- What type of action? – after the Moonstone Mask Mègane decided to be careful.

- Combat!

New task: The Gauntlet.

Tomi as peaefully sleeping in a corner, while Mègane walked around to see other henchmen. A dark dwarven monk with a maniacal smile caught her attention. She hired him. Grimgnaw (for this was his name) started telling her about his adoration for death, and after an hour Mègane was totally esasperated.

- And the reason I am here... is that Alaganda, another girl who wanted to join our order, escaped here... I need to kill her, and bring back her ring...

Then he added a couple of more „really nice" details about the Silent Lord (death)'s servants...

- Give me a bucket to throw up... – whispered Mègane to the awake Tomi – come! I've changed my mind.

But the road to Blacklake was anything but easy. First, there was a long road full of sick madmen and angry dogs, called Nobody's Land, where a man named Cendran informed our four adventurers that a half-orc called Loxar is hiding somewhere around there, and that he'd be happy to see his head. Mègane succeeded, but made Tomi bring the bloody and torn head to the poor man. Entering an abandoned house, Tomi opened a desk and found a silver ring with a strange symbol and a name carved in it: „Alaganda".

Finally, Blacklake! A calm and peaceful district, no plague... instead, a half-elf named Formosa was serching for adventurers to eliminate the well-known mage, Meldanen, who refused to open his wheat deposits to poor and hungry people. No need to say that Mègane got involved in this too.

Walking towards Meldanen's huge tower, an old lady muttering something caught her attention.

- Good morning... I'm Mègane Fireland.

- I haven't got much time, m'lady... I'm Milly, I got work here, sorry... I have to wash the rich men's clothes!

- Oh, never wanted to disturb you... just wanted to know if you can give me some information about Meldanen.

- Oh, Meldanen, yes... I was young once upon a time, had lovely face, and Meldanen was young and charming too, and we used a portal to meet...

- Does that portal still exist? – asked Mègane, excited.

- Oh, yes, yes, in my house... here's the key...

- And here are 10 gold pieces! Farewell, Milly!

Getting into Meldanen's tower using the portal was surprisingly easy.

- Hmm... this was a bit too easy... - said Mègane walking on the corridor. The next moment she heard screaming and saw an arrow stick in the wall a couple of inches from her – I knew it!

Meldanen had so many guards and minor mages around that when Mègane, Tomi, Elenthe and Thya got to the inner rooms, they were all near death.

- Can't we lay down for a moment?

- Right, m'lady.

- Ah, Flamestrike cookies! Thanks mom, my fave! – Mègane said opening her bag.

The group then carefully got inside Meldanen's private rooms, defeating a couple of irritating imps and mephits. They also found a poor city guard reclosed, and freed him.

- What?! Oh, by the Gods! – In a cage they spotted the lovely dryad, one of the Waterdhavian creatures. She seemed weak, tired and wounded.

- You...

- Oh! Be careful, milady! Meldanen is somewhere near!

- Right behind you, stupid little girl...

- Thya! Elenthe! Tomi!

Mègane kept on hitting the ugly old mage with her flaming sword, while Elenthe was kicking is head, Thya biting his ears, and Tomi cutting his legs with a kukri. Briefly, after a minute he was dead.

Elenthe tore his silver tooth out – they had to show it to Formosa, to assure her Meldanen was dead. Then they freed the dryad.

- You need to come with me to Lady Aribeth...

- No need of that. Oh, how I long for my oak now! Here, take this lock of my hair. Goodbye, gentle lady!

- Wow!!! Fenthick will be SO happy to see this!!! – Mègane held the golden lock up to the light.

In a vase nearby, Mègane found a silver chalice, with the name of the goddess Sehanine Moonbow carved on it.

Formosa got Meldanen's tooth and the key for his wheat deposit. Mègane destroyed Mr. Thoms Rumbottom's guards to take the Portrait of Sir Reginald Rumbottom III, found a way to steal the urn from Master Hodge (who wasn't at home), sure that the objects were going to make Ophala Cheldarstorn happy.

Then she went tot the Board Laid Bare tavern, where the Gauntlet was held (illegally, but that's another subject) Once in the fighting arena, she got easily over everyobody. Claudus, an extremely confident man, cheating by the way, promised the local to the one who beats him. Guess what... the local's now called „Mègane's tavern"!

Mègane was ticking out things already done in her diary. Next was the zoo.

- Oh, poor animals! – she screamed as she saw the bear, the wolf, the panther and the lion walking aorund sadly in their cages.

- They're making me sad too... – muttered Sally, a blonde little girl.

- Montgomery „Sureshot" Weatherson! – Mègane shouted to the owner of the zoo, pulling out her sword.

- I'm not freeing the animals, damn that druid!!!

- And now, what do you say? – Mègane looked at the dead body.

In the zoo's garden, as Nyatar instructed her, Mègane turned a tree into a portal towards freedom. Unfortunately, the zoo worker who had the keys to the cages ran away as he saw them.

- What do we do now?

- Looking for these? – Tomi lifted up the keys.

- How...?!

- Listen m'lady, Tomi Undegallows is the best-known rogue of all Calimshan!

The zoo was ticked out too.

Ophala got her objects back and rewarded Mègane with gold. Grimgnaw rceived Alaganda's ring and rewarded her with a necklace „decorated" with a skull. Mègane put it away and thought she'd never wear it.

- Lady Aribeth!

- Mègane!

- I found the Dryad in Blacklake...

And Mègane explained her everything.

- I'll better let Fenthick know too...

- How nice of you! – smiled Aribeth while bringing the dryad's hairlock to Castle Never.

- Really? Have you found the first reagent?

- Yes!

- Oh, Mègane, I saw you were talented! – Fenthick gave her a pat on the shoulder. Desther turned away muttering something.

The next line in Mègane's diary was: _'cause I'm in love with you... Fenthick Moss..._

Mègane took a deep breath and decided to visit Briley in the Peninsula district... but she hardly made a few steps inside when four assassins jumped out of nowhere! Fortunately, not too strong ones... but she was shaking like a leaf as she read the note they left... someone, the traitor inside Neverwinter was planning to kill her and thwart the creation of the cure!

- I see – said Aribeth, worried – take it to Fenthick!

Mègane's face lit up.

Fenthick looked inside her deep dark bluish green eyes and playfully caressed her dark red hair.

- I will do everything to find out what I can...

- Fenthick! – Desther interrupted him – who says this note is true?

- Why would I make a fake one? – Mègane stared at him angrily.

- Why, of course to take more money out of Fenthick and Aribeth!

- Enough for now, Desther! – Fenthick lightly put an arm on Mègane's shoulders, causing shivers running up and down her spine, making her blush and her heart beating faster.

- Mègane! – Aribeth looked at her surprised – how come you look so happy when there are assassins hunting you...?


	6. More about Tomi

Thank you VERY much!!! Still interested about your thoughts, do I have to take "love conquers all" as a "yes"? Sorry but this will be the last chapter I'll be posting for a while, 'cause I'll be away for quite a long time and be here irregularly. But when I manage to get online, I will post a long chapter!

**An extract from Mègane Fireland's diary**

_I guess I'm gonna fire Tomi if he keeps on acting like this! I mean, I have a certain skill in disarming traps too, without speaking of Elenthe! And I can break open chests and doors alone! Yes he's funny and helpful, but he keeps on embarrassing me! When I brought the portrait and the urn back to Ophala, this time I had to drag him out of a bedroom upstairs! And he was once again drunk! Oh the shame when I pulled him by the hand across the whole City Core! I heard some mutters I'd better not report here! _

_(I LOVE YOU, FENTHICK!) _

_Today I decided to visit Briley in the Peninsula district.Tomi was right at least in one thing: it's better to avoid it... there were prisoners killing everyone around,and when I finally managed to get to Briley I was half dead, I think... there I recieved a cerimonial sword, a cerimonial shield, and a cerimonial arrow, and a book with the notes of the recent dicoveries. I had to search around Blacklake, the Beggar's nest, and the Docks. _

_(I WANT YOU, FENTHICK!)_

Mègane entered the Beggar's nest, after about 3 or 4 men muttered stuff like „Great, a cleric doing nothing for the zombies slaughtering us in the Beggar's nest!" The Captain of the guards informed her that an elf named Walters disappeared a short time before. Mègane nodded and wrote down _Walters_ in her diary, just below two stickmen, one with the name „Fenthick" above it, the other with the writing „me" beside it, and there was a huge heart between them.

Yes, Mègane was still lost in her dreams about becoming Mrs. Mègane Moss...

Now, in the Beggar's nest she had to face one of her greatest fears: zombies! Her hate-list was kinda like this: 1. Spiders; 2. Undead; 3. Dark and smelly caves.

Fortunately she could use Turn Undead to scare and maybe destroy the enemies, so she made it kinda fortunately to the small Temple of Helm, held by some of Desther's companions. One of them looked a bit nervous, and kept on looking outside, as if he was waiting for someone to arrive.

- Can I help you? – asked Mègane.

- Oh, I doubt you can... I'm just...

- Sir, are you sure?

He took a deep breath.

- Well, in fact, yes. It's my brother, Marcus. He simply disappeared! Or, I mean, he went out and didn't retun. But he cannot be dead, he knows how to fight undead.

- I'll see what I can do. Goodbye.

- I'm wondering which one to use... – Mègane looked at the two weapons Marrok made her: a flaming greatsword and a paralyzin shortsword. Suddenly the shouting of two halflings caught her attention. Aldo and Mattily were husband and wife. After convincing them she was not a zombie, she noted in her diary: _Find Hector to bring Aldo a wheel for his wagon._

After destroying another dozens of zombies accomopanied by Ghoul Lords, Mègane finally found Hector in a wagon repairer's home, but he had no wheels. Anyway, she could finally tick out this mission, and add a huge heart with the letters M and F in it below it. Then she went to the Shining Serpent Inn, where she got two new quests: apart from finding out what caused the zombie invasion and putting an end to it, she hd to find two men: Jemanie, a human, and Krestal, a dwarf.

Then she hired a room and rested for a while. During dinner, she asked Tomi about his life in Calimshan.

**Another extract from Mègane's diary **

_Tomi told me he was the priced assassin of a medusa (!), and had to kill a vizier, in whose home he got a job as a waiter. He didn't put poison in his food because he used to have meals with his daughter, Saida. No need to say Tomi fell in love with her. She was a human. But the medusa got angry, and the vizier too, after finding Tomi and Saida in quite an explicit situation – he described it for hours! Ugh, for a moment I thought I prefered Grimgnaw... Then the two chased him until they arrived to a tower above the market, when the medusa petrified the vizier and he killed her with a spell, while Tomi fell(He was naked, obviously) with the two dead bodies in front of all Calimshan in the middle of the market... and this made him famous. Now he needed some documents from his friend, a master of faking papers, to go back there and maybe marry Saida._

- Maybe lookig for these? – Mègane showed a couple of obviously false papers, full of corrections and marks of ink.

- Yes! Oh, Tomi sees thisis his worse work ever... ya see, it'd be funny if at Calimport I tried to identify myself with these... well in fact Saida had some really big teeth... I don't know why I thought I loved her... though those times in the stables lying in the hay were...

- Tomi, please...

- What's that, m'lady? Embarassed? Ya look much better than Saida, ya know... here's this ring, as a reward for the documents... it was of the vizier...

- Tomi, I had no men in my life for now, and please, just don't talk about those things too much... it was funny for a while, but now...

- Wanna have a man? – Tomi's eyes lit up in a way Mègane didn't like at all.

- Tomi, you're FIRED!

Sorry Tomi fans, now it's time for Linu, Daelan, Sharwyn and Boddyknock to get into action, but I do still like him! He'll be in there a couple of times later too...

Once again, 2 questions (I know what will happen, I' just curious!) : 1. Will Aribeth find out about Mègane being in love with her fiancè? 2. What will Fenthick do if he does find out?

Thank you for reading it!


	7. A special birthday

Thank you! Pinguicha I e-mailed you, did you get my e-mail? If not, then send me one at ! The fact is that you're not a b!tch at all! You were one if you simply told me "THIS STORY STINKS!!!" without adding more! Now, I guess Shadow will be pleased with this chapter, but how come almost all the boys around here are in lvoe (or well, just like) Sharwyn? And I have a question for you... What do you think about Mégane? (please, Fenthick haters, don't tell me she's stupid just because of what we all know!)

- C'mon, ya don't want this... – Tomi slowly moved towards Mégane and just held his hand up and was about to touch her, when a thud was heard, his eyes turned out and he fainted.

- You dirrrty Tomi! – said Elenthe, stopped in midair in a kicking position.

- Ellie! You saved my life! But... I thought you were sleeping in the room beside us as Thya does!

- Oh, could I ever leave you alone? – the pixie made cute dancing movements – and Thya is not sleeping... in fact, it was her who was crying after you! No! No, Thya, let go my hair...! Hey! Those are my wings...! Okay, you weren't crying, it was your sixth sense, is it better now?! ...phew. Someone heal me!

Mégane smiled brightly at her companions playfully fighting.

Later, while dragging an unconscious Tomi back to the Trade of Blades, Elenthe became the cheeky pixie of always.

- And I didn't save your life! Just something else you are keeping well protected... – Mégane blushed, which made Elenthe grin, but anyway, she shouldn't have continued - ... and you hope to give it to Mr. Lady Aribeth... **xxx Consequences censored xxx**

- I think I'd be better off alone – said Mégane, sighing – I don't want another mad dwarf doing his best to make me throw up or a waaay too confident halfling sure he's the man I'm dreaming of... (There's only one man I truly love...)

- Come on, you shouldn't judge everybody after them! – Elenthe rested on her head, then she whispered – look at that girl, for example! I guess she's worth a try, at least...

Unfortunately the bard Sharwyn wasn't on the same opinion – she thought she was worth 200 gold pieces. What is more, she was absolutely sure she was the best choice Mégane could make, and planning to become a legend soon... very soon. And, of course, sure of succeeding.

Mégane had never seen someone so confident, but it was clear that Sharwyn had a good reason to feel that way. Walking on the streets of Neverwinter, almost every male passing them by turned back to take a better look at her (no, not at Mégane, poor girl...): tall and slim, dark red hair, deep dark eyes, full lips... It seemed she had no weak side.

Mégane quickly needed something to raise up her confidence. Of course, just to warm her heart, she directly headed towards the Halls of Justice...

- Hi, Fenthick!

- Good day, Mégane, and well met as always! How are things going – Fenthick gently shook her hand, ignoring Desther's angry mutters, and seemingly not noticing the girl blushing.

- Right now I was taking care of the zombie invasion at the Beggar's nest...

- Yes, I've heard about that... – sighed Fenthick, then closed his other hand over Mégane's, making her blush and sending a pleasant shiver over her whole body – I wish you luck. I'm sure that you'll be able to deal with it.

- Dream, just dream... that makes life better – said Sharwyn, as they were sitting on the steps of the Temple of Tyr.

- What do you mean? – Mégane, still lost in thoughts about Fenthick's lovely eyes, raised her head so fast that she began to feel dizzy.

- Oh come on, I know how you look at the person you love...

- Really... I still don't understand it!

- Believe me, you do – smiled the bard, then began to hum a love tune.

- Please... – Mégane was feeling really uncomfortable by now – what do you mean... I...

- Calm down, Mégane... everyone has a weak point. I'm sorry I've touched yours... if your feelings make you so embarrassed, then I won't insist on talking about them. Where are we going?

- Whatever... just not the Beggar's nest. I'm fed up with rotting zombies – said Mégane, standing up and heading towards the Peninsula district – anything is better than that.

Honestly, the Peninsula was the second worst in her opinion. But, seeing Bethany's face, staring at her hopefully, and reading the pain in her eyes, she knew she wanted to help her.

But taking care of the prisoners slaughtering everyone around was more difficult than she thought... worse than her worst nightmare.

- And now should I go inside the prison?! Forget it! – she said.

- Look! – Sharwyn threw a spell on a group of ex-prisoners threatening a scred lady. They quickly took care of them, then asked the lady about her name. She turned out to be Dulcimae, a servant in Lady Tnaglebrook's home. Inside it, there was a secret tunnel which led to the Prison. While taking Dulcimae back to the doors of the District, she told them Lady Tanglebrook kept a secret key under a rug in front of the home.

Hiding and avoiding ex-prisoners, unless there was no chance to escape, Mégane, Elenthe, Thya and Sharwyn finally found the key and entered the Tanglebrook estate.

Elenthe, while opening chests just for simple curiousity, found a vial of fluid of a sweet smell.

- Look! – she said – perfume! – then whsipered – try it out, maybe Mr. Lady Aribeth falls for this!

- Ellie... wait! I don't think this is perfume... hmm... Sharwyn! Do you have any idea about what could this be?

- Oh! – Sharwyn grabbed it and her eyes seemed to light up, then she sighed – maybe it is... but...

- Start from the beginning, okay? – Mégane sat down next to her.

Sharwyn's sad black eyes stared at the ceiling (so she had a weak point after all...), then she began her story about how she grew up in a family where her mother spent so much money that at her stepfather's death they remained broke. But she was already a beautiful young girl... her mother wanted her to marry the rich Lord Farthingdon to put her hands on his money and pay the debts. Unfortunately, Sharwyn fell in love with a bard named Dannen, though a couple of weeks later she was already Lord Farthingdon's fiancée.

- I ran away with Dannen. He taught me what I know now... he made me a real bard... – she sighed heavily – now I came back to Neverwinter and found out that Lord Farthingdon and family had died for the plague... can you imagine that? This would have been my destiny!

- And your mother? Is she still alive? – Mégane, Elenthe and Thya were hanging on Sharwyn's every word.

- Yes... she works as a poor tailor... and kept on cursing me and told me to go away... but she's sick.

- Oh, no! The Wailing Death?!

- No... another illness... but now with the clerics distracted by the plague, no one can cure her. I've read that the only cure is...

- Take this! – Mégane gave her the vial.

- Oh! What can I give you... Mégane...

- Sharwyn, your friendship is far enough.

- But this is better, isn't it? This belt was a gift from Dannen...

- Thank you – Mégane put it on – hmm, looks good... well, now you should get to your mother as fast as you can.

- I will not leave you now!

- You will... and take this gold. We'll meet at the Trade of Blades in a couple of days.

Sharwyn's charming eyes filled with tears. She nodded and got out of the Tanglebrook estate.

- Well, let's find Lady Tanglebrook now... – said Mégane to her two companions.

But, past a couple of doors, they found something horrid...

Lady Tanglebrook was lying on her side in a pool of blood, in the middle of what seemed a big chess field. Her eyes were still staring lost in front of her. And there was a huge hole on her temple... with some pieces of brain still on the wound. But inside, everything was dark and empty. Mégane stared at her shocked. Her hand was shaking as she lifted up the Stone of Recall...

- Aah... prisoners... blood... chess field... a woman with no brain... oh, it was so terrible!!! – Fenthick didn't know what to do, as he held up Mégane, who could hardly manage to stand on her feet. Desther rolled his eyes and turned away.

But it was only morning. Later that day, Mégane, having had a nice plate of food, was much more calm. The City Core was bathing in sunshine. And sitting on the steps of the Temple of Tyr...

Fenthick's light brown hair looked like the finest silk, and was assuming a slight blonde shade. It was clear this was his free hour of rest. As he saw Mégane, he waved at her.

- Come here, do you feel better noe?

- Yes – Mégane turned her look down – sorry for everything.

- Oh, come on, it can happen to anyone – he playfully held up a lock of her hair, then let it go – and... hum, look! Nyatar!

The eleven druid was waving at them.

- Look! – he said as they arrived to the Great Tree – can you imagine this could happen in such a dying city?

A lily, a wonderful lily, which seemed to shine of every coulour of the rainbow, had grown right there – this is the Rainbow Lily, one of the rarest flowers around!

- I will take it inside the temple... – Fenthick leant down – can you give me a glass? Thanks.

Without caring about his hands getting dirty, he carefully dug out the flower, avoiding the roots. Then he planted in the vase.

- Thank you, Fenthick – nodded Nyatar – once Neverwinter is safe, return it to me!

- You can count on me!

Walking back to the Halls of Justice, Mégane told Fenthick:

- Once again sorry for before. You know, it's my birthday tomorrow, I'm turning 18, and I know duty is more important... I hope I will find another reagent as a gift.

Fenthick smiled.

- Oh, you're such a young heroine – he once again played for a second with a lock of her dark red hair – I really admire you. Happy birthday.

Mégane felt her heart warming up.

The next day, she got a message from a pigeon, that something was waiting for her at the Halls of Justice.

- Here, this arrived for you – said Sergol, a Tyr accolite, handing her a package.

She slowly unwarpped it...

The Rainbow Lily was shining in the glass she gave Fenthick the day before. But now it had a note beside it.

_I know it's not much compared to all you have done for us, but I noticed you loved this flower. And I'm sure a druid can take better care of it. So, happy birthday, dear Mégane! Love, Fenthick Moss_

Mégane's whole world seemed to light up and spin around. She knew she loved Fenthick with all her heart... and that no one could take that feeling away from her.


	8. Family memories

Oh, I'm sorry Mégane is getting unreal. In fact, she has more weaknesses, she's kinda a fragile girl, just doesn't show it. Here's a new chapter, a short one. About the diary, I wasn't planning to use it much, but since you requested it, I will in some of the following parts. Thank you for constructive criticism. And, before you read, can I ask youn two questions? One is, I was planning to post kind of a "prologue" for this, I mean, the story of the six heroes of Myth Drannor, which is actually the first FR story I invented (I wrote it down as a comic! Just as Mégane's story, in fact, and I guess she doesn't speak too emotionally because there her expressions gave it all away...). Do you think I should post it here? I see not all the stroies are about NWN or expansions... The 2nd question is for the story... is Fenthick just trying to be polite or is there soemthing more? And sorry if I describe him as the most attractive elf in Faerun :-).

Mégane walked out in the City Core completely lost in her dreams, until she ran right into someone and they both fell to the ground.

- Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Let me help! – the young elven girl picked up the flower – oh, phew, it's not broken… aah!

- Careful! – shouted Mégane, andcaught the Rainbow Lily, which just fell from the girl's hands – oh, got it… hope it's all right.

- It's a gift from the man of her dreams! – said Elenthe.

- Shut up, Ellie. Who are you? – Mégane asked the elf.

- Linu La'neral, servant of Sehanine Moonbow – she answered – I'm really so sorry… I was just going to the Temple of Tyr hoping to give a hand, if they have forgotten that I set the altar on fire some time ago… oh! I didn't even notice this! – she began to rub off a spot from her shirt.

Mégane smiled. She remembered someone… someone really close to her. She closed her eyes and saw Maryah trying to clean up something in her father's lab, and ending up by making half of it explode… great priestess Nekly, shouting "Maryah, what have you done this time?! Remember… we're still rebuilding the temple!" Mégane, at the time just six years old, sat on the floor playing with dolls and now looked at her mother. "Never worry Mégane, it'll be alright!"

She came back to earth when Linu tugged at her sleeve.

- Oh, I must be boring you…

- Come, Linu. Looking for a job, maybe?

The girl's greenish-brown eyes widened.

- Yes, in fact… but… see, I don't wanna seem only looking for money, but…

- 175 gold pieces will make it, I guess. Come!

- Where?

- Hum, dunno… maybe the Beggar's nest. One cleric is great against zombies… without speaking of two!

Linu smiled. Yes, it was great… but Mégane forgot about what she promised Sharwyn.

- But you weren't at the Peninsula? – asked the pixie.

Mégane looked horrfied at Elenthe.

- I. Don't. Wanna. See. More. People. With. No. Brain. WAS I CLEAR?! – shouted Mégane.

Linu brought her hands to her mouth so fast that she fell back on the ground, causing two more spots of mud appear on her shirt.

Linu and Mégane made a great team in beating up zombies. Finally they got to the gate of the Great Cemetery. Unfortunately, it was blocked by broken wagons, empty crates and similar litter.

On the side, they could see the corpse of a young man.

Mégane walked there and looked at him. He held a diary in his cold hands, and there was a magic staff lying beside him.

She read the name "Marcus Penhold" on the diary and instantly knew who he was. His blue eyes, with no more light inside them, stared wide open in front of themselves. Mégane shed a tear as she softly closed them. She sat down on a crate and looked up at the dar, cloudy sky. Linu knelt down beside her and gave her an interrogative look.

- What's up?

- Oh, Linu… see, this man was the brother of a man at the Helmite temple here… and I was just wondering about _my_ brother and sister. You see, they set off for adventures months ago… and I got their last letter before I left for Neverwinter. I know they're strong and trustworthy, but this was exactly what the Helmite told me about Marcus. What if…? Oh, let's stop with personal dark thoughts. I think I should bring back his diary and his staff to his brother.


	9. Diary of the Beggar's Nest

You liked the diary, so here's a whole chapter of it! Sorry for having made you wait. :-)

**Extracts from Mégane Fireland's diary**

_A couple of days ago I asked Nyatar to lend me a pidgeon so I could send a letter home. I told them EVERYTHING about HIM!!! I'm in love! Their answer came this morning, and they're wishing us luck. Perhaps I forgot to tell he was Aribeth's lover and he doesn't even know about my feelings, woopsie! :-)_

_Linu is nice. Just like Mom by the way, today she accidentally broke two vials of potion and almost hit Ellie with a Searing Light while we were fighting zombies and ghouls... this Beggar's Nest is worse than squadrons of brainless Lady Tanglebrooks!!! However, we somehow managed to find a dwarf named Krestal who closed himself in his home. He said something about "Sword Coast Boys" and someone called Drawl, I didn't get it clearly, but it was obvious they turned into undeads. Hopefully at least there will be no spiders..._

_After other groups of rotting undeads (I think I could use something to throw up in next time), we got inside another house, where we finally found Jemanie, the other lost person. He wasn't endangered, but he lost his brother Torin. I understand him, I'm missing Mac as well when I don't receive his notices... he's extremely worried, but I'm sure Torin is all right. He seemed to have something to do with a cult in a house not far from Jemanie's. He gave us a key to enter... hope there are no undead inside there at least._

_There were no undead, but I'm not sure if fanatics of "The Serpent's Cult" are any better. Fortunately, they weren't too many for four great heroes as us! :-) I'm sure Fenthick would be proud of me. Oh, I can't stop thinking about him, but at least I stopped making childish drawings and daydreaming about our wedding. (Really? I don't believe this, LOL - Elenthe) (Ellie, hands and wings away from my diary! - Mégane)_

_Did I mention I hated spiders, undead and dark, smelly, wet caves? Well... under the cult's base there was a dark, smelly and wet cave full of undead and giant spiders. No way I'm going down there again! There must be another way..._

_Wee, we found the other way!!! Through the deposit. It was full of undead, but at least there were no spiders, and it was dry and without strange smells. We even found the missing guard, Walters (he's a cute elf, but cannot be compared to Fenmthick, of course. I'd like it if Ellie would stop calling him "Mr. Lady Aribeth"!). And we found that "Drawl" Krestal kept on talking about. He was an ugly lich, or skeleton, or I have no idea, well... UNDEAD! Brrr. (But no spiders for now!)_

_Guess what, we have to get down to another dark, wet and smelly cave, this time full of corpses as well. We reached the Great Cemetery... to find more undead. Zombies. Rotting zombies. Argh! Fenthick would be proud again :-) Judge Oleff Uskar, I found a relic in a tomb! The diary of Halueth Never! Something good at least, apart from the mummy I had to beat._

_Great. Another dark, wet and smelly cave. Full of undead and corpses, but at least no spiders. It looks like a long corridor... a talking zombie said that some serpent called Gulnan will defeat me, and I will rot there. Hope not. However, I found kinda a quiet room and decided to speak with Linu, after I made Ellie swear she'd stay in silence and not scream "Mégane loves Mr. Lady Aribeth, Mégane and Fenthick sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G." every moment. Linu told me another serie of catastrophes she'd made, poor girl! But I can't be angry with her. She lost the silver chalice of Sehanine Moonbow (I mean, it was stolen), while Mom burnt down half of the temple. Which one's better? :-) She was sure the chalice was here... and I remembered something. The one I found at Meldanen's tower! Well, I could only hope it was the one she was looking for, but I was right! Now I have a lovely elven necklace. I already love it... I don't fancy wearing skulls, like the one Grimgnaw gave me!_

_Oh, poor Jemanie. I told him I was sure Torin was OK... and now he's dead. Oh, decisions, decisions... I have to tell him and bring him back his brother's ring. He deserves it. But... later. Now, I have to face my fears and get to the end of this dark, smelly and wet cave full of undead and rotting corpses. Bleuh. I never thought being a hero was going to be so disgusting!_

_Great! I freed a man trapped in a cell, and he started cursing me, saying that Cyric was going to destroy this city and I was going to suffer! I think he could have been a bit more grateful!_

_We're at the end of something... there's a large door. I hear undead and other voices. WISH ME LUCK!!! Oh, Fenthick, I won't disappoint you!_

_We're home. The Temple of Tyr. Aribeth has just received the second reagent, the yuan-ti's heart. Gulnan... the serpent. She caused everything. I'm glad all this has came to an end. The undead, I mean. Now I'm going to the Trade of Blades for a drink, of course after telling Fenthick about my success!_


	10. Love and fear

Well, a looong chapter now. Hope there are not too many typing mistakes. Now, after the 4th reagent will be recovered, the REAL ACTION will begin! (Fenthick/Mègane stuff of course!) Sofia xxx

**An extract from Mègane Fireland's diary**

_Today Linu left. In fact, she was very silent all day, and in the end she confessed she wanted to go back to Evereska, in order to return the Silver Chalice to the temple. I let her go... I understand._

_Oh, damn! Mègane, keep your promises in mind!!! Of course I'm referring to Sharwyn. Met her at the Trade of Blades. Now she's not talking to me and refuses to come adventuring again._

_I wasn't too successful with Fenthick again. Oh, love hurts so much!!! But does it have to?! Do Fenthick and Aribeth have to hug and kiss in front of me? And am I supposed to smile and say "Oh, you're such a lovely couple!" For that's what happened..._

- Give me something _really_ strong – Mègane said to the host, and received a big glass of liquor – thanks, that'll do. Oh, how sad am I...  
Suddenly someone put a hand on her shoulder.  
- You shouldn't drink that much, milady. I know you... you recovered the first two reagents. Don't lose your mind now – it was a deep and calming voice. Mègane looked up to see a red-haired half-orc with a honest face and deep black eyes – Daelan Redtiger of the Uthgardt Tribe... of The Red Tiger indeed.  
- Mègane Fireland, you guessed right... but I'm not drinking to lose it all... I'm just half broken-hearted and sad, and do you know how much does love hurt?! Oh, now you must think I'm a stupid fool...  
- No, I don't. Everyone has weaknesses. But – and he took the glass off Mègane's hand – this is one of the worst methods to resolve problems.  
- He spoke right! – Mègane heard an incredibly fast voice, which bleonged to a tiny gnome – drinking isn't logical at all!  
- And you are...?  
- Boddyknock Glinckle, sorcerer from Lantan, nice to meet you, Lady Mègane Fireland. I'd pay more attention to my pixie if I were you.  
- Ellie!  
Elenthe was silently sipping the liquor, and by the time Thya managed to pull her away, she was fainted.

- Thanks – Mègane looked sadly at Elenthe lying in her hand with a faint smile on her face.

**Diary extract**

_Ellie slept all day completely drunk. Meanwhile, I spent some time with two new faces I met – Daelan and Boddyknock, an Uthgardt barbarian and a sorcerer from Lantan. And once again I managed to make someone happy! Boddyknock spoke for hours about his home and how he became a sorcerer (like Dad btw! :-)). He told me ha came to Neverwinter for a special bread recipe... one that keeps bread fresh for months! I've already tried it out at the tavern... mmm... delicious. I found a recipe in the bakery in the Beggar's nest. I already gave Torin's ring to Jemanie, so there's no way I'm going back to that horrid rotting place! Bleuh!!! Okay, going off topic again... Boddyknock was delighted and gave me a copper ring for the recipe. Of course I made a copy of it for myself first... well, hope Mom will cook it at home, with or without Flamestrike, I don't mind! However, women in my family seem to be attracted by half-orcs. No, no, don't misunderstand me – of course I don't mean love, my father is 100 human. Second, not every half-orc around – I mean, drooling idiots with the intelligence of a lizard aren't my types, of course. But Daelan is different. He reminds me Mom's best friend, half-orc as well. He seems wise and introspective. He told me he wroked at the Docks here at Neverwinter – a place full of thieves, assassing, pirates, and the Gods know what else. For the moment I don't really feel like going there. The nightmare of the Peninsula still haunts me. I need to know what happened to Lady Tanglebrook. But first I think I'll need some rest... and the only place in this city without piles of rotting corpses and people crying is Blacklake. Yes, it's far... but MY tavern is a great place. Second, according to Briley's diary, there's another tomb around._

_Daelan seems to like my tavern as well. He became a bit more talkative. He told me the Uthgardts (their main enemies are the orcs) sent him away after his mother's death. A half-orc... too different. But he had a talisman with him. A small jewel which belonged to her mother. And those bloody pirates (Bloodsailors, as I heard) at the Docks stole it! And now he's afraid it'll fall in wrong hands... but I assured him we'll find it one day (not so far). Anyway, he understood why I wanted to go to the Peninsula first._

_FenthickFenthickFenthick!!! Oh, sorry. Daelan, Ellie, Thya and I found the tomb in Blacklake! There was a little girl called Punkin, who told us that what's behind the library in their home is a massive secret, but it opens if we say "Halueth". Her mother, Telma, was glad to see we cleared it all – it was Halueth Never's tomb! A couple of skeletons and four animated swords were no match for us, of course! But as we exited, we were attacked again! Four assassins... I found a letter that suggest someone is trying to thwart our plans to find the cure!_

_And Oleff was happy. I was happy. And Fenthick... he told me the bards at Castle Never were composing a song about ME! And of course, about my companions... he presented me the main bard, someone called Galden. And I asked him not to only say Mègane Mègane Mègane... now Ellie and Thya are in the song too! Fenthick took the letter I gave him seriously, unlike Desther, thick as a donkey as always, btw._

_The nightmare of the Peninsula is finally over. The Brain Devourer of Waterdeep was the cause of all. Poor Lady Tanglebrook. Poor Prison Guards. I went down to the core of the prison... and I had to kill innocent people. Just because the Brain Devourer took control over them. I buried their bodies, and prayed the Gods to make them rest in peace. It was horrible. At least Bethany can go back home now, together with everyone else. And the third reagent was found. Really, I was so afraid the Brain Devourer would get inside MY head as well! Or Daelan's! Ellie's! Thya's! Fortunately, we managed to kill him. And Aribeth received a piece of his brain – the third reagent. Now only the Docks are left. I entered, and the first person I met was a thief who stole my purse. Great start, I must say. Fortunately Ellie is a better rogue, so small and looking so insignificant, that soon I got my money back. And Galden insisted on showing me the ballad! I told him to do it later. As soon as I recover the last reagent._

_Those Bloodsailors look great in their red uniforms! I asked them where I could get one, and they laughed at me and spat. I went angry and threw a Magic Missile on a small boat, which immediately sunk. Anyway, they went even angrier and attacked us. Now I have a lovely Bloodsailor uniform! But I'm much more proud of having helped Daelan. I found his mother's jewel, a clip, if I remember right. Those Bloodasailors deserved it... it was in a chest on their ship. Daelan gave me an Uthgardt necklace. It's fascinating, though very simple. He told me that now there's a bond between us. I believe it as well. Daelan, my new best friend, much more than a henchman or a mercenary!_

_I'm still shaking like a leaf. A cult! Things are getting worse. Yes, there was another attack. But now they weren't four untrained men. Professional assassins, I believe. Thya almost died. The letter I found tells about a cult... a cult conjuring against Neverwinter. I took the note to Mr. Lady Ari... ah, Ellie makes me go mad! Of course I meant Fenthick. Fenthick Moss... oh, why is love so hard to forget? I force myself to think it's over... but my love just gets stronger and stronger day by day._

- Mègane... this is worrying! I can't believe there's an evil cult behind all this... you were right to bring this to my attention – and Fenthick once again played with a lock of her dark red hair.  
- Of course you don't believe this note is true, Fenthick! – said Desther – and you, I hope it's just a vain trial to frighten us!  
- Why should I?!  
- Oh, well... – Desther looked at Mègane suspiciously – maybe you'll make some stupid "talismans against the Mysterious Cult" which will provide you a good sum of money!  
- Desther! – Fenthick put an arm around Mègane's shoulder, and this time he pulled her close to him – Mègane is just helping us. Come, Mègane.  
She followed him in the room aside.  
- Listen, Mègane, I didn't want to say this in front of Desther, but I believe you're gonna be the great Hero of Neverwinter. Well, maybe you already are. So Mègane, I trust you. And – he took her hand – good luck at the Docks.  
- It's full of pirates and thieves – she sighed.  
- I know. Take care.

And Fenthick blew a light kiss on Mègane's hair.


	11. The last reagent

Mégane suddenly couldn't help her feelings but hugged Fenthick tightly. Elenthe sighed dreamily while sitting down on Thya's back. (Thya: „Erm… Ellie. What are your wings for then, if you always travel like this…?")  
Fenthick smiled and caressed her head.  
- Oh, little Mégane…  
Mégane let him go, having just noticed what she had done.  
- Fenthick… erm… can I ask you a favour?  
- Sure. What would it be?  
- Can you translate me some words from elven to the common tongue? My grandfather once spoke to me in elven and…  
- Wait… Mégane, your mother is an elf, right? Then…  
- I asked her once… „Mom, do you speak the elven language?"… she stared at me horrified, then opened her arms as if I insulted her or something, and yelled „Of course I don't!"… you see, it's a long story, maybe I'll tell you later.  
- So… what do you want me to translate you?  
- Euh… - Mégane suddenly remembered she had no clear memories about that single sentence – something like AmandaLenaEllie…  
_- Amin mela lle_? – tried Fenthick smiling – it means „I love you".

_- Mela_! – shouted Mégane while leaving. Fenthick waved and said:  
_- Mela_!Goodbye, Mégane!

Aribeth… please – said Mégane, with a huge smile on her face – can you tell me… about Fenthick?  
Aribeth smiled.  
- It's no secret that Fenthick and I are lovers. Our feelings for each other…  
Mégane's smile immediately faded away. She wanted to know about _him_, not about his feelings and whatever.  
- Okay, okay, that's very nice, can't we please talk about something else, I beg you!  
Aribeth stared at her petrified. Elenthe hid in Thya's feathers.  
- Euh… sorry! – Mégane blushed – I mean… er… I'll have to go and find some Waterdhavian creatures… right…?

**Some extracts from Mégane Fireland's diary**

_AMIN MELA LLE! AMIN MELA FENTHICK! (that was supposed to be in the elf language. I'll ask him to teach me more-))_

_These Docks are a nasty place. Thieves and pirates everywhere, seemingly all wanting to steal MY stuff (couldn't they steal from each other!)._

_I found on some corpses (well, I had to kill them, otherwise I would have died!) some weird red coins. I managed to get inside a tavern full of Bloody Sail… oh, sorry, BLOODSAILORS. Rumours say there's a Bloodsailor tunnel under the tavern. Great, another cave!_

_Not a cave. It's surprisingly clean._

_I freed a woman called Dara'nei and she gave me a necklace in return. She told me she loves some Vengaul or what, guess he's a pirate, but now one of his men, Callik, became a rebel and wants to kill him to get his place… _

_I don't like this Vengaul. I found some notes which suggest: 1; he has the cockatrice feather; 2; he wants to sell it as „a cure" (I won't say how I usually call men like him!). Now, Dara'nei's necklace should work as a key to find him… _

_Giant spiders and giant insects, oh, how great! And no caves… but a wet and stinking aqueduct isn't much better. Full of traps in addition, how lucky am I to have Ellie! A pixie is a great rogue -)._

_A man called Charon sent me down a smelly „river", if I should call it such. It's of a strange greenish-grey colour, and there are some undefined objects floating in it here and there. They look kinda disgusting, and I'd prefer not to know more about them._

_FOUND IT! YAY! The cockatrice feather, I mean. Not the poor cockatrice itself, however… this Vengaul begged me to help him with Callik, who was even more disgusting than him, so I agreed. The recipe for a victory is, as far as I experienced (don't ask me how this came to my mind…I'm SO happy that I keep on joking!): 1. Take a Mégane Fireland; 2. Add some Elenthe; 3; Mix with some Thya; 4; Spill in it a good portion of Daelan Redtiger; 5; BLESS! And voil�, it's done! _

_(I let that bloody Vengaul go. Hope I'll never see him again.)_

_Fenthick and Aribeth were both over the moon. Desther looked angry. I bet he's a traitor, but Fenthick says he's not, and I trust him (Amin mela… yeah whatever, I love him!) -)_

Mégane? – asked Fenthick.

Yes, my lo… euh… Fenthick? – Mégane produced a bright smile.

Galden's ready with the song – Fenthick once again began playing with a lock of her hair, then he leant closer and whispered in her ear – he told just me about it, but I could swear he's dying to show it to you.

Just chnaged this one. The elvish is lle, not ile. -)


	12. A song and blossoming feelings

Disclaimer: I don't own the people and places that belong to NWN.

Fenthick and Mégane walked to the bard's room in Castle Never hand in hand.  
They found Galden, a well-built man with a small dark blonde moustache and a short beard, sitting in the middle of a circle of cushions, slowly practising a song on his lute.  
- Good day, Galden! – waved Fenthick – I brought the heroine as well! I'm sure she'd be glad to hear your song about her – then, hearing Thya and Elenthe protesting, he corrected – and her two companions, of course.  
- Sit down then! – said the bard, his eyes sparkling with excitement.  
Fenthick and Mégane automatically wanted to sit on the same cushion, and did it, causing her to fall on his lap.  
- Oh, I'm so sorry! – Mégane went almost as red as her hair and tried to stand up, but Fenthick kept her back. Her brain said: _Take his arms off you and sit somewhere else!_ Her heart whispered in pure bliss: _Aah, this is so good, sit back…!_  
And she obeyed her heart.  
Fenthick laughed, probably because he thought it all a joke. He felt something strange when he was with Mégane. The urge to protect her. To hug her. To be there. Though she had proven herself much more than a little girl, and she was anything but weak and defenseless… the feeling lasted. She layed her head on his shoulder. If there weren't so many differences between them, they could have been easily mistaken for father and daughter, or maybe brother and sister. Or, taking count of the differences – lovers.  
Galden coughed. Before he needed to ask, Mégane and Fnehtick both encouraged him to begin. He cleared his throat.

_Heroes we'll never forget  
In a lost, troubled land they first met  
Myth Drannor, lost in space and time  
But without them nothing will rhyme  
To end there was the hand of fate  
So the pieces could fall into place._

_To create a new sequel of the legend,  
Neverwinter is the place which was chosen.  
When everything failed  
In the middle of despair  
The Gods brought a savior here  
Who a month ago entered the House of Tyr.  
Lady Aribeth invites her to come  
She knows about her, the deeds she'd done  
That heroes of old times make new ones appear  
So that there'll be peace and nothing to fear.  
In the songs of bards a new name will live  
A girl she was, and as a woman she'll leave.  
Mégane Fireland, the wind whispers her name  
As it flies again on the wings of fame  
And across the nature all will know  
From the tales of a blue-eyed hawk  
Her name's Thya, as people say  
And a companion in every tale.  
And beside the two of them there's a soul sister  
One which knows Mégane's every whisper  
Whatever she feels or thinks, Elenthe could tell  
A pixie named after the Whalebone Waterbell.  
Praying in front of the Gods' Blue Fire  
Hoping they will bring all we desire  
Mégane, Thya and Elenthe succeed  
In bringing hope back in the moment of need.  
Four creatures lost, disappeared in mystery  
But they hold the cure for a dying city!  
Lady Fireland, they say, is watched from above  
Elenthe by her side, she's there when called  
Thya asks for the nature to aid  
And through every mystery and even great pain  
Nothing could thwart their plans or break their heart,  
And even the most evil won't tear them apart  
And all together, they finally find  
A cure for the dying, they bring back the light  
Thus shall Neverwinter blossom again  
People celebrating telling three names:  
Mégane Fireland, Thya and Elenthe the pixie  
Brought back the life in a dying city._

Fenthick and Mégane were left alone in the room as Galden walked away to write the full song down again and tale it a bit more.  
- Did you like it? – asked Fenthick as Mégane stood up.  
- Yes – she whispered.  
- And Mégane, what were those „deeds" you have done? And the Whalebone Waterbell?  
- It was just a great rhyme by Galden, I guess. Or maybe what the instructors at the Academy said about me. But, well, I was more experienced than the others, that's true. When you learn how to be a cleric at the Temple of The Blue Fire, you automatically can show much more than others your age. About Ellie, we were born the same day… and about Thya, I know her since I was 6. And Elenthe… there were 3 waterbells lost in Myth Drannor. One was carved from whalebone, and its name was E'lenthe. Ellie's parents thought her voice sounded like its music. Oh, you two! What do you think?  
- I LOVED IT! – Elenthe was flying across the room up and down as if she had gone mad (not much would have changed if she had) – especially the part about ME!  
_- And the one about me!_ – Mégane heard Thya say.  
The girl looked at their extremely proud faces and, in a playful mood, threw a cushion at them.  
Unfortunately, Elenthe quickly flew right, and Thya flew left, so the cushion ended nowhere else but on Fenthick's head.  
Mégane didn't even have a second to apologise when he attacked back laughing.  
- Pillow fight! Wee! – shouted Ellie just a second before being knocked to the ground by one of the objects mentioned.  
_- I'll fight for you, Ellie!_ – said Thya and soon anyone entering Galden's room must have thought he had ended in the kindergarten.

Phew – said Mégane, with Ellie lying on her right hand, Thya on her chest, and Fenthick beside her with his right leg across her left one. Cushions lying everywhere, some were torn and white feathers could have been found everywhere on the floor.  
- „Phew", exactly – added Fenthick – I don't know what got over me. I've never had a pillow fight since… since… I have no idea. Well, surely for more than 100 years.  
- Why, how old are you? Oh… was I indiscrete?  
- No, don't worry – he smiled – turned 240 three weeks ago.  
Silence fell in the room. Fenthick giggled. He stood up and stretched.  
- That means I'm a young elf, Mégane! – he said as he pulled her to her feet – I mean, look at me: no long white beard, no teeth falling out, or ooh, is my face full of wrinkles!  
Mégane smiled brightly.  
- Shouldn't we clean up this mess? – she asked, pointing at the pavement.

Later that evening, Mégane started jumping on her bed in her room in the Castle as if she had gone back to 5 years old.  
- I'M IN LOVE! I'M IN _MELA_!

The next morning she was woken up from a sweet dream about Fenthick becoming Mr. Mégane Fireland by someone knocking on the door.  
- Yes? – she asked, rubbing her eyes.  
- Mégane! The time for the ritual has come, and I thought it was my duty to tell you about it!  
- Thanks, love! – and she fell back on the pillow – time for the ritual… great. WHAT THE HELL…! Euh… I meant Fenthick! „Thanks, FENTHICK!", I mean! And I'm coming!  
He laughed behind the door.  
- I can guess you're more than a bit sleepy. Dress up and I'll be waiting for you in the room beside yours with an energetic breakfast - I learnt the recipe from my elven family!

Mégane, dressed up, looked out of the window. The sun was shining high above Neverwinter, and she felt as if her heart was flying. She'd have never thought that would be the day that would change everything, and the next one when her highest desires and deepest fears would all become true in a period of time of less than three hours… _Nothing could break their hearts… _Three hours. Three hours where a heart will set on fire and a bit later shatter into pieces. Such a short time…

Hope you enjoyed- Sofia


	13. Lost Innocence

Disclaimer: I don't own NWN characters and places.

**Oh well, this is the longest chapter so far. And yes, I know Fenthick acts OOC, and you can flame after this, but believe me, this is an important part of MY story. - Fomi x**

I must say I'm a bit afraid – said Mégane.  
- But why? – asked Fenthick in a sweet tone, and once again began playing with a lock of her hair – nothing extraordinary will happen during the ritual. I can assure you of that. Now, let us go.  
And he took her hand. But before he could lead her to the ritual room, Daelan Redtiger's voice stopped them.  
- May I come?  
- Daelan! – smiled Mégane and waved at him – haven't seen you in the last days! Come, of course… euh… Fenthick?  
- Why not? – the elf shrugged his shoulders – I'm sure he had done his job as well in all this.

„Fenthick is getting too intimate with that little girl who thinks herself a great heroine. She'd better stay quiet! Hmpf." Thought Desther, standing impatiently in the ritual room.  
- Sorry for being late, Mégane needed some time to get ready… now let us begin – smiled Fenthick.  
- Erm! Before, I'd like to say a couple of words to her – Lord Nasher Alagondar stood up. Mégane had never seen someone with such a commanding presence. Though he wore evident signs of having contracted the Wailing Death, he was still an authoritary man.  
- I'm honored to meet you, Lord Nasher! – Mégane bowed down. Lord Nasher gently put a hand on her head.  
- Bless you, Lady Fireland. You brought back hope, and as soon as we're finsihed with the cure, you'll be well paid and honored for all you have done. I've heard Galden's song. Aribeth and Fenthick told me about you. But I guess you're not here to hear me rabbling on and on. Let the ritual begin!  
Thya could swear she had seen an evil spark in Desther's eyes.

Mégane watched as four clerics of Tyr, Aribeth, Desther and Fenthick put all their concentration in creating the cure for the Wailing Death. The light was reflecting in her dark bluish-green eyes as she looked enchanted at Fenthick… she had never seen him so powerful, and so full of grace at the same time. His hazel eyes were staring seriously at the energetic pool where the cure was about to be created. Mégane could see the yuan-ti's heart, the cockatrice feather, the Devourer's brain and the lock of Dryad's hair floating almost transparently in a bar of shining energy. Suddenly they disappeared in a flash of light, or rather, united in one… the cure silently fell in a bottle there.

It worked! It's done! We have the cure!  
Desther moved a couple of steps closer to the pool.  
- Yes, Fenthick – he took the bottle in his hands – _I have the cure!_  
- W-what… what do you mean? – Fenthick froze.  
Thya's blue eyes flashed angrily and she flew over to Desther screaming accusingly…  
- Now, my brethren! Attack!  
False Helmites popped out of nowhere.  
- Treachery! – Lord Nasher couldn't do else, just repeating this.  
- Desther! What is this? – Aribeth pulled out her sword ready to fight – quickly, Mégane! You must defeat them!  
- You have no idea about what are you fighting, fools! Desther opened a portal and disappeared in it with the cure in hand.  
Fenthick started screaming.  
- No, Desther, no! Give back the cure! What… no! What are you doing! Let me help… no! Wait! No! – and he followed him through the portal. Thya shot inside it right after them.  
- Fenthick! – Daelan had just killed the last false Helmite and Mégane was about to run after her only love…  
- Go now! – said Aribeth – find Desther and… and Fenthick! He…  
- Desther's a dirty traitor, and Fenthick is completely innocent! I'll bring them both back!  
- Fenthick has helped Desther! – said Lord Nasher.  
- But he's not with him! Anyway, I don't think this is the right moment to discuss all this. I'm going!

Two guards at the door whispered among them:  
- Did you hear that? Fenthick said to Desther that he'd help him…  
- He's always been with him…  
Attracted by the sounds of fighting, some other guards reached the two at the door. In a short while everyone knew about what had happened. About the _double treachery…_

Mégane, Elenthe and Daelan arrived to a green field with a small river. It was the way to Helm's Hold.  
- Thya! No! – the hawk was lying on the ground – oh, thank the Gods she's alive! – and Mégane quickly cured her, so they were in four again.  
- Have you seen which direction did he…euh…they go?  
Thya flew forward, and the others quickly followed.  
They got inside a temple full of dead people and undead armies were marching towards them.  
- Daelan! Ellie! Thya! Try to get rid of the difficult ones while I'm trying to turn them! – screamed Mégane and quickly turned the undead, causing most of them to die immediately.  
- Look! A gem! – said Elenthe picking up one from a corpse.  
They opened a door and ended in a large hall.  
- That hole on the statue… - Elenthe mumbled looking at the huge hand-shaped sculpture. Then she had an idea and inserted the gem into it. Four living armors appeared and said:  
- Lady Fireland, as you wish, we will fight Helm's enemies!  
- Euh… thanks! – she showed a half smile.

„Fenthick, Fenthick! Oh, where are you!" thought Mégane running across rooms, defeating False Helmites and zombies, helped by the four living armors. Down a stairway, she found a scared little boy.  
- Who are you?  
- J-Johnny, milady… Desther…  
- Wait, wait… what is Desther doing?  
- Undead! Making dead people rise! Zombies! Zombie armies!  
- What about some business? – Mégane asked – maybe that can calm you down.  
- She sold Johnny a couple of gems, calming him down a bit, then asked:  
- Have you seen an elf? A man, I mean, a really handsome, young, lovely one…  
- No, milady, I'm really sorry… just undead!  
- All right then, Johnny… don't worry, I'll take care of them!  
- Help me! – Mégane, standing over a pile of defeated zombies, was just about to go in search of Fenthick and Desther when she heard this scream. It was a true Helmite.

My name's Dumal – he said, as soon as Mégane freed him from the cell he was locked in – and Desther and his False Helmites have taken over the Hold…  
- I can see that… - Mégane looked around – and where is Desther now? And have you seen a young elf, maybe?  
- No, not elves… I just know that Desther is left alone now. He was working for some cult… I don't know… but they just wanted to thwart Neverwinter's plans to cure the plague with him. Now he wants more control, he's desperate…  
- Dumal – Mégane placed a hand on his shoulder – now you'd better take some rest, and – he handed him a bottle – this healing potion will help you as well. I'm going to take care of Desther.

You will suffer! – she heard a maniacal scream from another cell just as she left Dumal alone. It was an ugly half-orc.  
- I'm Yari the Knife! You will suffer!  
- Oh, shut up… - and Mégane smashed the lock on the door to block him there forever.  
- What? Imprisoned FOREVER? No problems! YOU WILL SUFFER!  
Mégane put her hands on her ears and ran up the stairs.

No… the ritual will be incomplete… - a leader of the false Helmites said as he died.  
- Ritual? Which ritual? – Mégane took a Helm's book out of the library.  
- That way! I sense evil! – said Elenthe.

Eurgh! What is that supposed to be! – Mégane pointed horrified at a clawed insect-looking ugly and huge demon.  
- A Chaohinon – whispered Elenthe – a demon of the Outer Planes.  
Mégane pulled out a book she found near there, called The Black Grimoire.  
- I exile you forever, Chaohinon!  
- YOU WILL SUFFER…! – he said falling.  
- Yeah… sure. Where have we heard this before? – she rolled her eyes, then used Helm's book to call for Helm's spirit himself.  
- Where's Fenthick? – she asked him.  
_- I can't answer this question, my child. I can give you other help. A bow, a magic ring, blessing, or Helm's outlook into the future._  
- I'll take the bow – Mégane swallowed hardly – now go and try to restore your full power. Oh, for the Blue Fire's sake! This bow… mother once described me one like this… it comes from Myth Drannor! I'll make good use of it, I promise – her eyes lit up with a strange spark.  
They passed through several other doors, until they reached stairs going upwards.

Mégane just entered the room upstairs when she saw him.- Fenthick!  
Elenthe and Tyha gently pushed Dalean back downstairs, then followed him and closed the door. Mégane didn't even notice. Fenthick's hazel eyes looked cried out, their stare lost somewhere.  
- Here I am… a fool. I stay here with the dead… Desther… Desther…. DESTHER! He's a traitor. I helped him. I killed these people – he pointed at the dead bodies in a corner – hoping his deception was a mistake! But no… he won't return… oh, I'm such a fool! Mégane, I… I… you're the first good thing that happens to me since I arrived here. Oh, Mégane… I'm… I'm so glad to see you here.  
- Where's that dirty traitor now…  
- Over those rooms… Mégane… did you ever ask his Helmites for blessings?  
- No, never. Why?  
- The blessings… infected… the Wailing Death… THE BLESSINGS…  
- Fenthick! – Mégane dropped her weapons and ran to him. She hugged him tightly, then looked up at his face (he was taller than her) – Fenthick, don't worry! I'm here for you now…  
- I helped him. I'm with him…  
- No, you're not! Stop being this foolish! You are completely innocent, and Neverwinter's great helper! A cleric of Tyr! Everyone will see that!  
Fenthick stayed silent. Then several tears started rolling down his cheeks. Mégane looked at them. Then she knew she couldn't keep her secret any more. Her defenses fell, and she let herself do what she felt was right.

It's almost dark – Aribeth looked outside – and they're still away! I hope she'll bring Desther and… and… and Fenthick back!  
- Traitors! – said Lord Nasher angrily.- But Fenthick…  
- He helped Desther!  
- But, Lord Nasher! He's innocent!  
- Aribeth, you let your feelings control your judgements… you really should see what justice requires now!  
- But Desther will be enough! He'll be cruelly executed, as soon as Mégane takes him back here! And justice will be handed out with that!  
„Fenthick is innocent… Lord Nasher and people in Neverwinter will all see that."  
But Aribeth was wrong…

Mégane licked her lips confused, still feeling the salt taste. Her cheeks were so red that they were almost glowing.  
Fenthick stared at her astonished. He slowly ran his fingers over his cheeks… no more tears. Mégane had kissed away all of them.  
- Mégane! – he reached out for her and gently caressed her face, arriving once again to the usual lock of hair – how come…? And why…?  
- I know – she looked up at him, her eyes shining – I should have just wiped them away with this cloth, for example… - and she pulled out a napkin of her bag, but accidentally also her diary fell out, and it ended on the floor open. Fenthick leant down before she could stop him. Though he'd have never wanted to read into someone else's diary, he couldn't not notice his name written in huge letters, occupying an entire page, with a heart around it. _Amin mela Fenthick_ was written on the other page, in similar proportions. Mégane knew what he had seen as he handed her the book. She swallowed a sob. Her heart was about to break. She wanted him to know, and at the same time she wanted to hide it from him… but it was too late.  
- Thanks – she pushed the diary back in her bag roughly – I suppose now I'd better be going.  
Fenthick stood silent. Then he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her closer.  
- Fenthick, no… - she whispered, as a tear appeared in her eye. He slid his hands to her head, softly caressing her dark red hair. The tear ran down her cheek and ended in the angle of her mouth. Fenthick kissed it away softly. What happened next wasn't actually a kiss. He slid her lips lightly over hers before letting her go.  
Mégane looked at him interrogatively. He nodded, as if to say „Go now!"  
- Thya! Ellie! Dalean! – she called, though she could hardly say the words. Something was grasping her throat. As her companions arrived, they ran up the stairs.

What's with Fenthick? – Thya, Elenthe and Daelan asked in unison, once upstairs.  
- Oh, he's all right… and innocent… - Mégane shrugged her shoulders without looking in their eyes.

Fenthick collapsed under a column and looked at the ceiling. Now Desther's betrayal seemed so far away… Mégane. She was the only one he could see if he closed his eyes.

Are you ready? – asked Mégane before a closed door. All four of them could sense the powerful magic from behind it. Desther must have been working on some spell inside that room. Mégane said a prayer, and swung the door open…  
Desther was standing in a circle of magic creatures, performing some kind of evil ritual. He looked extremely annoyed and angry.  
- You! How did you get here, little girl! – he stared at Mégane incredulously at first, then rather angrily – no matter! You will suffer!  
- Again…! – Mégane pulled out her sword – Daelan, Ellie, Thya! He's mine, take care of those stupid things in the meantime!  
Desther was strong, yes, but not enough for Mégane – her heart was crying for vengeance, as she could still see the look in Fenthick's hazel eyes…

Stop! – suddenly Desther raised a hand.  
- Die! – replied Mégane, but he blocked her with a magical shield.  
- You'd want me alive anyway – he said.  
- So you admit all you've done – a dark fire was burning in her eyes – and what about Fenthick?  
- I can clearly see the feelings you have for him – he grinned in an evil way – but this won't help. Oh, poor kid, he was too naive… but people will see him as my helper or at least a very negligent person! Ooh…  
Mégane ordered Daelan, Elenthe and Thya to take him away. She followed them a bit later. Fenthick was in the same room all alone.

I saw Daelan, Ellie and Thya taking him away… but I was waiting for you.  
- I'm here, Fenthick – she said, opening her arms slowly – are you coming? And… how do you feel?  
- I'm all right – he wiped away something that seemed like a tear from the angle of his eye – Mégane, I…  
Mégane walked right up to him and pulled him in for a warm hug.  
- It'll be okay, never worry. I'll be there for you. Come now!

The moon was spreading its icy cold light high in the dark, starless sky above the black houses of Neverwinter. It was half past midnight.

Aribeth put her trust in the people of Neverwinter. Lord Nasher seemingly agreed not to consider Fenthick guilty. But some people were screaming right outside the Halls of Justice for Desther to be executed immediately and the cure to be given to them as soon as possible.

Lord Nasher will be all right now – smiled Mégane – and tomorrow the whole city… in the morning, right after the sun rises.  
- They also want Desther to be executed…  
- Then do whatever you want to him, just outside of the City Core. I think it's not exactly the best place to burn or hang traitors. There are already far enough corpses.  
- Fenthick? – asked Aribeth. He grimaced and shook his head.  
- I'm staying, too – said Mégane, taking his hand – I don't wanna see any executions. I've seen far too much death today. And even though I wanted to see Desther die, I don't think I'll be able to watch it with my nerves in place.  
Her voice was firm, calm. She forced her mind to delete completely what happened between her and Fenthick at Helm's Hold. But both Fenthick and her had it still deep in their hearts.

The execution was to be held next morning, along with the distribution of the cure.

Mégane and Fenthick had a very disturbed sleep that night.

Then morning came.

_The three hours had begun. The three last hours of the Mégane we know now.._

_7:00_

Mégane looked at herself in the mirror. She had put on her long, lovely red, pink and creamy white dress she loved so much. She wanted to leave in the morning, and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep that night.

_7:15_

She entered a smaller room of the huge library of Castle Never.

Hi, Fenthick! – she said quite timidly.  
- Hi – he smiled at her as he looked up from the book. It seemed he was able to act quite naturally again. He had taken off his torn priest's robes, and now was in much more comfortable clothes.  
- What are you reading? – Mégane sat beside him on the sofa, though keeping a certain distance.  
- I think you know it better than me – he smiled again – Galden's song made me curious. Look – _The Heroes of Myth Drannor_. I'm sure the next story will be _The heroine of Neverwinter_. And I'll be the first to read it.  
- Oh, Fenthick – Mégane let down her long eyelashes as she blushed – and what do you think about the book? We have a copy as well… and Mom says it's waaay too concentrated on romance. I agree, I must say.  
- Hmm… - Fenthick turned the pages swiftly – I think there's plenty of it as well. I don't think love develops this quickly. The Queen Kathalyna as a princess… it's interesting to know her like this, anyway. I've heard of her wise decisions and good sense of justice even here in Neverwinter, though the Kingdom of Myan is far in the Eastern Lands.  
- Yeah… - said Mégane, still staring at her shoes – and Mom and Dad actually didn't even think about love for the initial three months or such.

Fenthick and Mégane spoke about heroes of old times, new heroes and Galden's song for a short while. But talking about these dull things was not what they wanted. But both of them were too embarrassed or scared to bring up the subject which was most disturbing them.

_7:30_

They were sitting there in silence. Mégane staring at her shoes, and Fenthick at the cover of his book.

_7:35_

Mégane?  
- Yes? – she kept on staring insistently at the rug on the pavement.  
- Look up at me, please.  
She reluctantly looked into his hazel eyes.  
- Mégane – he took both her hands – I think I understand.  
She didn't answer. What she could have said, anyway?  
- And I… I _like_ you.  
- Leave it like this, Fenthick. You _like_ me, I _like_ you; but you _love_ Aribeth, and I, well… I'm sure I will find someone who I'll be able to call mine and only mine.  
- Mégane, please, be sincere. What I liked about you was that you were always yourself… and did what you felt was right.  
She smiled sadly.  
- Not true. If I did, I'd have said _Amin mela_ you, kissed you and held you straight away!  
_- Lle_ – corrected Fenthick smiling – _amin mela lle_.  
- Thanks, I'll write it down… hey! – Mégane was just about to stand up when he pulled her back and made her sit on his lap. Her cheeks once again turned glowing red.  
- Please… oh, Fenthick! – she layed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes in pure bliss. But suddenly opened them when Fenthick placed a kiss on her neck.  
- No, Fenthick… stop, please… - this was what her brain made her say. She must have sounded very unconvincing, as he didn't stop, and kissed her cheek. She turned her head back to look at him. They held each other's gaze. Then their lips met.

Why? They both felt like they were lost in an imaginary world, like all this wasn't happening…

_7:45_

Mégane turned around on Fenthick's lap, facing him. They continued kissing. Mégane's brain seemed completely switched off.

_7:50_

Suddenly Mégane's brain started screaming and her inner alarm rang loudly as her hand slid under Fenthick's shirt and he softly began to lift up her skirt.  
- No! Stop! We must stop! Why, I say, what, how come, I mean, what the hell…! Oh, for the Gods, fortunately nobody's around and we're alone in Castle Never! I…  
_We're alone, all alone. Nobody's around._ These words stuck in her mind, and, as it seemed, in Fenthick's as well.  
_Get out! Push him away! Go back to your room, oh Mégane, for the Blue Fire's sake! _– said her brain.  
_Say them! Say those five words! Please…_ - her heart whispered softly. And that soft whisper changed everything. She fell back on the sofa.

_- Make love to me, Fenthick…  
- Amin karneluva a'lle._

_8:00_

Outside, the executioner was already preparing everything to burn Desther, the traitor of Neverwinter.

_But Mégane was already burning._

_8:15_

Desther was screaming in pain as the flames were burning him alive…

_8:30_

Fenthick slowly opened his eyes and looked around. Mégane looked like a sweet angel, so silently, so quietly sleeping beside him, with her head gently layed on his chest. He'd never wanted to wake her up…  
Fenthick stood up and quickly put back his clothes. Then he knelt beside the sofa.  
- Mégane!  
- What…? – she muttered and curled up.  
- Mégane!  
- Fenthick, what's up? – her eyes looked half asleep.  
- Euh… I think you should really dress back now.

Then it hit both of them as a lightning. Imagination was gone. They were brought back to the real world.

_8:35_

Mégane, now dressed up, laying her head against the back of the sofa, couldn't stop crying desperately.  
Fenthick, sitting beside her, was just staring in front of himself.  
She fell back, exhausted and gasping for air, between crises of tears.  
- I… - but Fenthick could say no more. Tears slowly flowed down his cheeks as he picked Mégane up, and brought her back to her room in his arms.

_8:40_

Fenthick sat in an angle of the sofa. He turned his head aside and silently burst into tears.  
- Oh, Aribeth… I'm so sorry…!

_8:45_

Nothing but bits of burnt bones remained of Desther Indealyne. Aribeth thought it was the end finally… but the crowd was still noisy. People were muttering something among themselves. Suddenly one of them shouted:  
- Where's the other traitor?  
Many voices joined him.  
- Fenthick Moss!  
- Hang him!  
- The other traitor!  
- He helped Desther all along! And where is he now? Undoubtedly plotting the next move!  
- No… wait! – but Aribeth's voice was lost in the angry mob's shouting.

Lord Nasher gave some guards the signal, then turned around, and with him everyone began to move back to the City Core.

_8:50_  
- Mégane! – Elenthe placed her tiny hand on her master's shoulder (she never called her such) – come on!  
- Leave me alone…  
- But Mégane!  
- I said LEAVE ME ALONE!  
- What's done is done… you can't turn back time.  
Suddenly Mégane gave Elenthe such a slap that she flew directly to the other end of the room.  
- Hey!  
Thya screamed angrily.  
Mégane quickly stood up and opened the window.  
- I think the best choice is to end it here… - she sighed as she climbed onto the window-sill.

_8:55_

She was back in her bed. Thya and Ellie made reason come back to her. Though she was still in some kind of a daze, she stood up and opened the door.

_8:56_

Three guards broke inside the small room in the library. They grabbed Fenthick without saying anything and dragged him out into the City Core, though he was screaming desperately, asking why…

_9:00_

Fenthick… where are you? – Mégane walked through empty rooms.

_9:05_

He saw the rope with the noose on the Great Tree. He saw the stool under it. His eyes widened, and his whole body began shaking as the soldiers dragged him towards it across the cheering crowd.  
- NO! NO! LORD NASHER! ARIBETH! NO! I DID NOTHING WRONG! NOOO!  
Some people laughed. Then someone spat at him. The soldiers quickly tied his hands together, and made him stand on the stool.  
The crowd was screaming. Rotten vegetables, junk, eggs, and balls of mud hit him from every direction. More people, the ones without other „weapons", started spitting at him. He tried to turn his head to avoid part of them, but the mob surrounded him. No escape.

He stared at Aribeth. Her dark eyes were extremely sad. She was sorry for him. She still loved him. She'd never want him dead.Yet she was motionless, standing firmly as a statue. A statue of justice. The love in her eyes made guilt pierce Fenthick's heart.

Then Lord Nasher stood up.

_**Fenthick Moss, you are accused of seriously dangerous negligence against our beloved City. For this, your punishment is to be hung. Let the execution begin right now.**_

More junk came. The crowd was cheering.  
- No, no… I did nothing wrong… no…  
- What's going on outside here! – Mégane appeared on the steps of Castle Never – Fenthick!  
Everyone looked up at her, standing in her long, beautiful dress, her dark red hair was gently moved by the soft breeze…  
- The traitor's being executed! – shouted someone.  
- NOOO! – Mégane had just understood what she was actually looking at – Ellie! Thya! Do something! NO! Lord Nasher! Aribeth! Where's your mind gone! This is not justice! And…  
- Somebody shoot that stupid hawk!  
- And kill that foolish fairy!  
Thya quickly flew high, but Elenthe was fully hit by a club. Her light immediately faded away and she landed right in Mégane's hands.  
- Ellie! No!  
The executioner kicked the stool away. The crowd began cheering even louder.  
- MÉ-  
But Fenthick's last word was cut in half as the noose tightened round his neck.  
Mégane felt blood flowing through her fingers.  
- Ellie… what! NO! Fenthick! Thya! Oh, I… me… you…  
Her eyes started rolling and shining in a madness. All was collapsing around her.  
A second later, she fell tumbling down the steps of Castle Never.  
- The third traitor! – screamed a young man – she was with Fenthick!  
- Hang her!  
Suddenly a great figure appeared and picked her up. Daelan Redtiger swung his huge double axe around.  
- If you dare touching her with one finger…! – he said, holding the unconscious girl, who still had Elenthe in a hand, blood constantly dripping from betweeen her fingers.  
Thya flew to Nyatar, and the druid casted Light in the sky.

_9:30_

It was all over.

_12:00_

The midday sun couldn't find Mégane Fireland in Neverwinter any more.

Okay, hope you enjoyed - the story will continue of course, but first I'll concentrate on Heart of Stone, which is actually a chnaged repost of Eight Lives, One Destiny (to the people who liked that one), and my HotU fic. Since these two stories have Heart in their titles, I'll try to find a "Heart" title for that one as well.

Sofia x

PS.: edited this chapter, changed traitory to trechery. Oh, and all of you, please remember to correct me, in case of poor vocabulary or wrong grammar! I like to learn more whenever possible :-)  



	14. Inner fight

_The kingdom of Myan – the city of Pharryn, its capital_

Stop it, Maryah! – Jarial grabbed his wife from behind and blocked her hands – tell me, what's this 1000th healing spell for? You can see it's no use! I think you'll just make her worse with that!  
Maryah stood silent. Then her shoulders began shaking.  
- Then tell me what should I do! – she turned around, crying like no one has ever seen her before. She used to be „the strong one"; nothing could break her.  
- Jarial – she continued – I, as a cleric, have helped so many people! Kept the six of us alive in Myth Drannor! Cured the illnesses! And now – look. I can't help my own daughter. And it was all my fought! I suggested her to go! She's so young! True, I was 16 when I joined you, but she's not like me! A the Blue Fire Great Priestess Lethyena once called me Maryah Ilterendihoon, Unbreakable Heart! But Mégane… she has _a fragile heart…_  
- Oh, Maryah – Jarial hugged her trembling body – I don't think you would have been able to face what she had to, if we believe what Daelan told us.  
A knock on the door made them come back to reality.  
- Yes? – Jarial asked.  
A high, soft and melodious voice was heard from behind the door.  
- Sorry? May I enter?  
- Of course, Myrthia! – smiled Jarial.  
The door opened and one of the most charming creatures around Myan or even whole Toril walked inside. She had slightly greenish skin, but elven ears, big brown eyes and shiny long ebony-black hair. The half-orc and quarter-elf sorceress Myrthia Darkland, Mégane's best friend, had came home from her first adventure to see her. She just made a couple of steps towards her bed when wheels were heard from outside. A golden chariot with the royal insignia had arrived. Soon Mégane's second best friend, the princess Olránia Burnington-Elfland, who had recently started her bard career at Hilltop, was beside her bed as well.  
- Mégane – Myrthia took her friend's small and pale white hand, which felt terrifyingly cold - you were the one who always kept us together… the one who carried light and hope wherever she went! Mégane, I… I love you, my best friend… and Olránia… Ol?  
The princess was staring out of the window, charmed.  
- OL! What are you looking at?  
_- Him_ – she pointed at Daelan, sitting in the garden, with Mac and Jenna beside him – I'm sure he could use a little company. Bye!  
- OL! Our best friend's dying and you…  
- Sssh – Maryah sat beside Myrthia – let her go. Mégane needs peace now.  
She placed a wet cloth on her forehead. Her hands were cold as ice, but she was burning with fever. Her lips sometimes moved, but no word was heard. And the few times she opened her eyes, she couldn't see anything. Light was gone from them.

_- Fenthick… - she caressed his face as they kissed… it was time. She felt it. Their bodies softly melted together. They became completely one… He was there with her even now. He was alive. She could see him, feel him, wherever she looked. Those unforgettable moments of passion and love… his hands lovingly removing locks of hair from her eyes… Caresses… kisses…_

Night came. Maryah was sitting outside. She needed air. The thousands of stars up there couldn't help. Even the small torch Great Priestess Nekly gave to her, with a bit of the Holy Blue Fire, had changed nothing. Mégane. Her youngest daughter. Suddenly a strange feeling overcame her. Some unusual chil started growing in her chest. She immediately ran inside. The same moment Jarial, Mac and Jenna felt it too and ran to Mégane's room. Thya screamed. Elenthe?  
- Mégane! NO!  
She was completely cold. Her heart wasn't beating any more.

Morag, Queen of the Ancient Ones, reached out. Mégane's face could be seen in the dark crystal.  
_**Good, good, heroine. Our armies could use someone like you…**_

_She was falling. All was chilly. Snowfalkes hit her from every direction. Suddenly she landed on her knees. The soft snow was achingly freezing her whole body. Only now she noticed she had no clothes on. Her red hair was full of pieces of ice.  
- Where am I?  
No answer. The wind was constantly blowing loudly.  
- Where am I?  
- Mégane Fireland… I've been looking forward to this moment.  
She stared at the lizard-woman… or whatever she was… an ugly monster. She covered herself with her hands.  
- Embarrassed? – she laughed in an evil way – you weren't shy in front of HIM.  
Fenthick's face appeared behind Morag.  
- Fenthick! – she ran to reach him, but the vision disappeared – and… how do you know?  
Mégane was rattling and shaking. The snowstorm was getting more and more cruel.  
- I know many things about you, heroine… - Morag's voice now sounded much more calm – trust me, please.  
- Why should I?  
Fenthick's face appeared again.  
- We could bring him back... and you two could be happy forever… together forever with the one you love…  
The wind began to raise. The snowflakes hit her harder.  
- Make your choice.  
She could hear accusing voices. Neverwinter's people were screaming for Fenthick to be executed.  
- MÉGANE! – a voice echoed from far, far away.  
- Mom…?  
FENTHICK! FENTHICK! WE COULD BRING HIM BACK!  
- MÉGANE!  
HIS BLOOD IS ON THEIR HANDS!  
- OH MÉGANE, PLEASE! DON'T DIE…_

_One clear thought. She could hear him. „I love this city. Mégane… you are to thank."  
What will he say if I followed… HER? Now he's watching me from the heavens. Fenthick…_

_Mégane raised her head.  
- So you've come to a decision?- grinned Morag._

Sorry if this was short - I didn't have much time to write this week. Anyway, hope you enjoyed - Sofia._  
_


	15. Help me, Ellie

Sorry if I made you wait... My other 2 stories were deleted and I was locked. But here you go!_  
_

_- Please don't… _- Thya could feel what Mégane was going through. But she couldn't help her. Maryah was crying, and Jarial holding back his tears. Mac and Jenna stood there hugging each other.  
„_But if we can bring him back… we can be happy" thought Mégane, and slowly held her hand and was just about to give it to Morag…_

_- The only one who could help her now and influence her feelings is dead… _- a tear appeared in Thya's blue eyes as she looked at the tiny coffin on the bedside table. **Elenthe.**

_Mégane took Morag's hand. She wasn't so cold any more… she found herself wearing a long black dress, a belt with dark gems, a necklace with a black pearl and some dark purple bracelets. She smiled. Morag opened her arms and Mégane ran to her.  
- You're mine, heroine…  
- I'll stay with you, my Queen…_

Jenna picked the small coffin up. _The soul sister. _If Mégane's body died, Elenthe would be gone too, but her spirit would have stayed with her master's. But if Mégane's _soul_ died – there would be no return. Elenthe's body was dead. If Mégane was conscious, she'd bring her back to life. As long as the soul is alive… Mégane was unconscious, this made Elenthe's spirit go away.

_- My Queen – said Mégane – I'll ask you the permission to take my two powerful companions with me. They'll be precious for your army, I could promise that.  
Morag felt a bit uncomfortable. She knew Thya was quite independent, and that Elenthe was dead.  
- Mégane, dear heroine – she answered – your hawk isn't a true friend. I tried to call her already, but she refused…  
- Thya! – Mégane stood up – Thya, I call you forth! Thya, follow me now!_

Thya let out a painful scream, then fell on the floor motionless. She went cold, her heart stopped beating.

_- Thya! – Mégane caressed the hawk's head – I'm glad to see you followed me. And, my Queen – she bowed down – what about Elenthe, my pixie? Have you tried to call her already?  
Morag knew that a dead pixie wouldn't be very useful. But she knew also that Mégane would surely want her to follow.  
- I'll call her – the Queen of the Ancient Ones casted a spell, and a pixie appeared.  
- Ellie! – said Mégane.  
- I'm here to serve you, Master – the pixie bowed down.  
Mégane froze in place. Though she had turned to Morag, she still had memories… and guilt pierced her heart. „What have I done! Following this lizard!"_

Thya opened her eyes and looked around. She felt confused.  
Maryah, crying desperately, kept on casting helaing spells furiously on her youngest daughter. No one attempted to stop her now, though the whole Fireland family knew that Mégane would have to fight this battle alone.

_- That's what she'd never say… - Mégane moved backwards – you've betrayed me.  
Morag didn't understand at first. Then she realised she'd made a terrible mistake with the fake Elenthe. „Master"… never. Always „Mégane".  
- Mégane, heroine… come on… we'll bring HIM back…  
But it was too late.  
- No – Mégane answered firmly – if you lied to me once, it means you'd lie a thousand times again. And… I know I'll always have someone to count on. I keep memories in my heart, yes… but I need to go on.  
Morag's eyes flashed red.  
- YOU'RE COMING!  
- No way! – suddenly the frozen lands diappeared. Mégane had beaten her evil side this time. The sun rose, and spread its warm light all over her. Morag began to fade away, but she wasn't looking at the Queen any more. She was light as a feather. The breeze made her fly high over the clouds… in her favourite, red, pink and creamy white dress... hawks came along. One had blue eyes.  
- Thya!  
Bells ringing. A soft melody… she saw a fountain. Watersong. Myth Drannor. „This is E'lenthe… carved from whalebone…"_

They could all hear the song. E'lenthe ringing. And the coffin shattered into pieces as blinding light came from it. Mégane's eyes opened as well. _And the soul sisters rose up together._

_Next day_

Myrthia knocked on the door timidly.  
- Come! – Maryah answered.  
She entered, and found nobody in the hall.  
- Nethlyaaa! – she heard Maryah shout from Mégane's room.  
A young pixie flew to her, actually the youngest living in the Fireland house.  
- Hi, Neth! – said Myrthia – how's… hey!  
Nethlya grabbed her collar, almost ripping her dress:  
- She's all right! My sister too! Mégane and Ellie are both awake and okay!

No no no, you stay in bed! – Elenthe pushed Mégane back.- But I'm not sick, Ellie! At least not any more…  
- But you need rest! Trust me… - she winked.  
- Mégane pulled her close and Elenthe wrapped her arms around her neck as she laid on her chest.  
- I've missed you.  
- Me too.  
Thya was sitting on the window-sill beside the bed, looking at them lovingly.

PS.: I've recently realised that the character closest to me is actually Ellie, not Mégane as I used to think before. And the next chapter will be longer and have more action than this, sorry if it was short. - Sofia


	16. Bittersweet Memories

Sorry for having made you wait - and yes, I think as well that Lost Innocence was my best chapter so far...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own NWN characters and places. **Song bits from Celine Dion's songs Call The Man and Fly.**

A week later, a cloaked figure entered Neverwinter.

_Corpses burning. Horrible smells. People crying. _The Wailing Death has signed the City, though it wasn't terrible as before...  
The figure walked to the Great Tree. Nyatar has left it. He was furious to see that people had used that symbol of nature and life as an execution tool. Remains of a rope were hanging on it. The figure slowlz walked inside Castle Never. In the hall a small door in a corner led to a wide inner garden. There was a grave close to the wall. Bits of dead flowers were hanging on it. It seemed like no one cared for it in the past few days.  
Mégane let down her cloak. Thya and Elenthe flew out from under it. The pixie locked her arms around the hawk's neck as they stayed there together.  
Mégane quickly cleaned the sad remains away. The large gravestone was clean in the end. Then she took out a small vase from under her cloak. The Rainbow Lily was blossoming, with many new buds popping out.  
- I think this belongs to you... – she sighed heavily as she dug a small hole.  
She planted the Rainbow Lily very carefully. Just as he had put it in her glass that day, then cleaned the earth off his thin, white, elegant hands...  
Mégane stood up and swallowed hardly.  
- Goodbye.  
She felt a grasp in her throat. She brought both her hands to her chest. She struggled with herself. Then another word came from her lips:  
_- Mela..._  
She could say no more. She desperately began to wipe tears away with the wide arms of her cloak...  
_I have to go on!_

_Later that day_

She was told to stay in that room until the spy master's arrival. She stared out of the window, thoughts running through her head. That room reminded her of too many things. _For ir was a small room of the large Library of Castle Never..._ Probably, it was chosen for her because the spy master was expected to take hours to arrive, and she would have needed some distraction, and the books seemed a good idea.  
She walked over to the sofa and lay down, holding her arms out... _just as then..._ She locked them around herself.

_I close my eyes  
I remember when  
Your sweet love filled this empty room...  
The tears I cry  
Won't bring him back again..._

She opened her eyes and sat up. _Nothing will bring him back again._ „Okay, maybe Mom... but she won't get away with it if she'd try it..."  
She picked the cushion up and cuddled it. _He laid his head on it, his light brown hair all messy... then Mégane, breathing hard, sweating and completely exhausted, fell back to him... and fell asleep with her head laid on his chest..._  
She was even wearing the same dress... her favourite one...

Suddenly something caught her attention. The cushion had two large buttons on it... _and stuck around one of them, there was a single light brown hair..._  
She almost screamed „Fenthick!", but this time, she held emotions back. Her fingers took the hair carefully out. She held it to her lips, then closed her eyes.  
_You have to go on!_

She walked to the window and opened it. A light breeze was blowing. She softly began singing.

_Your heart is pure, your soul is free  
Be on your way, don't wait for me  
Above the universe you'll climb  
On beyond the hands of time  
The moon will rise, the sun will set  
- but I won't forget..._

She opened her hand and let the hair go.  
_No no no, I won't forget..._  
She sighed and smiled finally.

Then silent clapping made her freeze. She dropped the cushion on the floor as she turned around with such an expression as if she was expecting to see the most powerful demon of the Outer Planes himself.  
- How long have you been there...?  
- ... long enough. You've got a lovely voice, milady.  
Short silence.  
- Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! – as the figure walked out of the doorway and over to her, it turned out to be a tall, well-built man with dark skin. His deep black eyes were burning of an eternal will to act.  
He bowed down.  
- I am Aarin Gend, spy master of Neverwinter... Lady Mégane Fireland, am I right?  
She nodded.  
- Yes – she looked at him and blushed, thinking this stranger had been listening to her song – I am Mégane Fireland. I'm honoured to meet you.

Two days later, they were at Port Llast, a town of the Sword Coast, inside Kendrack's, the mayor's barracks.

Lady Aribeth was there as well. She looked extremely tired and unsure.

Her voice sounded empty as she explained to Mégane the details of her mission... or rather, that she needed to talk with Aarin to know more about it; what she had already done, actually, during the journey to Port Llast.  
- How I feel – she said – is... unimportant...  
Mégane didn't know what to say... she still needed some time.

Looking around, she noticed Kendrack, a middle-aged man, sitting at his desk in a corner, looking nervous as he was reading some paper.  
- Good day... I'm Mégane Fireland – she said.  
- Mayor Kendrack – he smiled – may I help you?  
- You look nervous... I think _you_ need some help now. Oh... sorry! Damn, Mégane, you're always so indiscrete...  
- No, in fact, you could really help me if you would... have you ever heard about the Bulwark Prison?  
- That safe dungeon in Waterdeep, where they keep dangerous criminals? Yes, of course.  
- Well, five prisoners have escaped.  
Her jaw dropped.  
- And – continued Kendrack – they all seem to be around Port Llast! Read this... in fact, I was given the task of bringing back their lef ear, marked with the tattoo of the prison, as a proof of tehir death. Lady Fireland, I have heard about you... will you accept to do this for me?  
She closed her eyes to think about it. Then nodded.

Mégane would have never imagined where this bounty hunt was meant to bring her...

Hope you enjoyed - Sofia


	17. Author's message

**_Author's message_**

**_  
_**The fact is that I will have serious exams of History and Literature the 11th and 12th of May, so I will not be able to add more to this story until then - I mean, this is the one which keeps me thinking a lot, I need time to write new chpaters (with depth), but now I will have to concentrate on my studies. I will try to add to The Green Notebook, I mean, that doesn't need too much brainwork ;-), but after the exams I will come back to this and repost my deleted story, _Eight Lives, One Destiny_, and will try my HotU fic as well. That's just to tell: I'm not dead, just busy! And still here for my readers. Thanks to everyone.

_Shadow _- thanks forever for your support!

_Archdragon _- forgot to tell you... I thought you would dislike Fenthick and Mégane from 7:35 to 8:30, but I'm glad you did the opposite :-).

_Night Vendiviel _- a new reader, I hope you will enjoy!

_WitchWolf_ - I'm glad you liked chapter 13, that's the best so far in my opinion as well.

_Anyone else I forgot _- will remember you in my next chapter, sorry! A huge hug and THANKS:-)

(Have you noticed Fenthick's HotU portrait? He has BLUE eyes and PURPLE hair! _Mégane: Ah, love is PURPLE! _like in Shadow's story)

And if that helps you imagine my heroine... she has the portrait Tamsil has in HotU. A girl with a long purple cloak, slightly pointed ears, smiling.

Sofia (Fomi) :-)


	18. Poison

**Woohoo, I'm back, passed my exams, here's a new chapter, hope you enjoy! Sofia :-)**

Aarin Gend smiled. He felt that in Mégane there was much more than from the fragile young woman she showed.  
„She's only eighteen... and already a heroine. And now she alone takes a quest that would be a hard one even for an experienced adventurer... and I see she'll solve it all brilliantly. If only I could see her in action once... but my place is here, at Port Llast."

Aarin?- Yes? – he was brought back from his thoughts by the sound of Mégane's voice.  
- Please... – her voice went into a whisper – take care of Lady Aribeth.  
Aarin leant close to her and nodded. His look went over to the Lady, whose lost stare was fixed on the ceiling, her eyes looked cried out and tired.  
Unconsciously, Aarin's hand went up as he moved back from Mégane, and he touched a lock of her dark red hair and gently lifted it up when...  
- NO! – the silent conversation around the barracks suddenly stopped. Everyone, even Aribeth, and Tomi (though he was trying to „borrow" a soldier's purse) stared at Mégane. Her whole body was shaking as he held both her hands to her hair. It was clear that she was trying hard to hold back her tears.  
- I... – tried Aarin – did I...? What... what happened, Mégane?  
- No... – she looked down – I just... you don't... you can't... _you can never understand!_  
**His thin white hand, playing with a lock of her hair... „Little Mégane..." _„Mela..."_**  
Daelan walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
- Are you all right, milady?  
- Yes – she swallowed her tears; she could feel the question – no, Daelan... I'd like to go on my own now. Of course, I'll never be alone... Ellie, Thya! Come on!

Aarin Gend sighed heavily as the door closed. Wherever he looked, he could see nothing but that deep sorrow, that terrible pain in those bluish-green depths. Though there were more than 30 years of learning how to see beyond everything behind him, he just couldn't tell what he had seen inside Mégane's eyes. _A secret. _But what...?

No one understands me... I could only tell it to someone who had experienced something like... like... _like those three hours..._  
- Lady Aribeth, maybe?  
- Great idea, Ellie... – she rolled her eyes – „oh, Lady, Fenthick and I...". _I have to go on.  
- Fellow!  
- Yes? –_ Thya's blue eyes looked at the friendly hawk approaching – _may I help you?  
- Ballard, the druid of Port Llast is in need of help. Will your druid master listen to him?_

Ballard, a well-built, brown-haired man, looked extremely worried.  
- You see, my friend – he said while pouring fresh water in a white fountain for the birds – I went to the Neverwinter Woods recently, and the animals, the ones I used to call friends, attacked me without reason! I could feel their anger... aggression without reason... I can still see their blood on my hands... I had to kill innocent creatures... and the trees' leaves were shouting accuses... My friend, somebody had done something to the Spirit of the Forest. Will you try to find out more?  
- I'll try to do what I can.  
Elenthe, sitting on Thya's back as always, was wondering if this would have helped Mégane to find some distraction, and keep her from rambling on and on over her terrible loss.

So these are the Neverwinter Woods... – Mégane looked around – I feel only harmony...  
„_Welcome, friend... the trees whisper your name... welcome to the Druids' Circle"_  
Mégane knelt down before the Archdruid Aawill, the master of the Neverwinter Woods' Druid Circle.  
- I greet you, child of nature... may the Gods bless you.  
She looked up at his calm face... and had a slight feeling that something wasn't right.  
- The Spirit... – she whispered.  
Aawill nodded.  
- I have sent my three best students out there... and since then, I had no notice of them... Terari, Orlane and Bree. I miss them, and miss the harmony.  
- I will help you, o Archdruid...  
Thya shook her feathers happily.

North of the Druid Camp, Mégane found a small glade, which seemed perfect to spend the night.  
- This will help me in becoming one with the nature of this place... Thya, what are you looking for?  
_- I sense something... something belonging here, but at the same time, in the wrong place... it' so confusing..._  
- Oh, Thya, let your suspicions fall. All I need is a quiet night... and I think you too.  
With this, Mégane laid her head on her arm and covered herself with her Many-Starred Cloak.

But Thya's sixth sense kept the hawk half awake all night.

Mégane awoke as the sunbeams arrived to her eyes.  
- Yay! Where's Thya? – asked Elenthe.  
A loud scream gave them the answer, followed by the sound of footsteps.  
Mégane quickly jumped to her feet and placed a hand ready on her sword.  
- Who's there?  
An elven ranger appeared. He had long ebony black hair and poison green eyes. He could have been good-looking, if it wasn't for a scar on his right face.  
- The animals! The animals in this place have gone mad! I've already lost a fellow ranger... lies just down the southern path.  
Mégane kept her hand on her sword and didn't move. The ranger avoided her stare, and seemed a bit too quiet.  
- Why don't you go and bury him? You're not injured, I see, and how come these „wild animals" haven't followed you?  
- I... I have no idea... go, please, go!  
- Wait a moment... why do you want _me_ to do something with your friend's corpse? And why should I care? And how come you don't fight the animals by yourself, I can see you're well equipped! And...  
- Too many questions! Go, my creatures!  
Thya and Elenthe immediately struck down on the wolf and the bear appearing, while Mégane pulled her sword out and was ready to attack when the ranger suddenly disappeared.  
- What...?  
A second later an arrow hit her shoulder. Then another one came... and another... but her armor kept her safe. Now she knew where her enemy was. Thya and Elenthe had already defeated the bear and the wolf when she casted Ice Storm on the trees. The ranger fell, and was just about to rise up again when Mégane pushed him down on the ground and pressed her sword to his neck.  
- Come on, escaped prisoner of the Bulwark! – she said, kneeling over him – surrender!  
- You're a bounty hunter, just as I suspected... – he coughed, a dark fire burning in his eyes.  
- Say it!  
- A little girl...  
- Say it!  
- I... I... – he struggled with himself – I... I surrender! You happy now!  
Mégane didn't move.  
- Tell me – she said – why did you attack me?  
- Leave me my life...  
- Tell me just one reason why I should! And you still owe me the answer for my first question!  
- I attacked you because now you will undoubtedly kill me... or worse, bring me back to that infernal Dungeon of the Bulwark... please, listen to me first... it was horrible... I am a child of nature, and for ten long years I couldn't feel the wind on my face, or the warmth of the sun... kill me, please, and never bring me back there...  
- Wyvern? – Mégane asked – is that your name?  
- The name I took after what happened to me...  
Mégane was still kneeling over him.  
- I don't care if you kill me or not... just don't bring me back to that infernal dungeon...  
- I won't.  
- Will you listen to my story?  
- No tricks! – Mégane pressed the sword harder to his neck – I'm listening.

My parents were both rangers, and I was brought up in the middle of nature, learning to love animals and plants... it was lovely... but it didn't last long. Some men came to the forest, burnt down trees and killed animals just for fun... – he winced – and... crucified my father to a tree when he went to talk with them, and raped my mother in front of his eyes... I was only a child...  
The pressure of Mégane's sword on his neck weakened.  
- My father died in my arms and I swore vengeance... I found those men. I killed them, one by one... I killed their families... their animals... then hid in the woods and shot arrows at anyone approaching, then people said the forest was haunted...  
The pressure weakened even more.  
- I was betrayed by a fellow ranger... or I thought he was a fellow... he was sent by my enemies... and there I was, in the Bulwark. I had to befriend four other prisoners, four types I usually keep away from... but we were all in need.  
Silence fell. Mégane slowly removed her sword from his neck and stood up.  
- Go – she said – you're free.  
- The prize... my left ear, with the tattoo of the Bulwark...  
- I don't care. Keep your ear in its place.  
Wyvern sat up.  
- I thought you were a bounty hunter...  
- I am. But I understand you...  
- You can't.  
- Maybe not completely... – she said, turning her back at him – but I have experienced terrible pain as well. My love was killed before my eyes.  
Silence fell. Mégane knew she could say no more without crying.  
- When?  
- A... less than a... a... month... a... ago... – Mégane burst into tears and laid her head against a tree.  
She didn't know if Wyvern was still there or not, but continued.  
- I... I... swore vengeance... I struggled... I... I... my friends... family... E... Ellie... without them...  
- I had no one – said Wyvern. His voice sounded the same icy calm as before.  
- I see... – Mégane looked at him – go now! I don't think a broken hearted little girl's tale is too interesting, is it?  
Wyvern stood there, then sighed.  
- Goodbye, Wyvern... hope you'll find peace.  
- I hope... I have no regrets. My parents are avenged, and my soul is free.  
Mégane nodded, wiping her tears away.  
_- Viverna_... was my name before – she heard his voice from above her head. Then everything went silent again.

Later that day, Mégane went deeper in the woods. Suddenly a dryad appeared and attacked her with no reason. After a short fight, she cried for mercy.  
- The anger... the anger... burns inside me...  
- Why? – asked Mégane.  
- I don't know... go! Go before I try to kill you again!  
- But...  
- Maybe those nymphs... to the north... know something... run! Run, milady!

„The Spirit of the Forest... poor dryad..." she was awoken from her thoughts by a weird feeling... as if someone was around.  
- Who's there?  
Thya and Elenthe looked at her interrogatively.  
- Just us – said the pixie.  
- No... are you sure there isn't anyone else?  
Thya shook her head.

Soon they arrived in front of a strange small house-like construction.  
- This is a place where nymphs live... – said Elenthe – they usually keep pixies as slaves... I hate them!  
- Come on, let's go... – and Mégane entered, followed by her companions.

After a couple of steps in a large corridor, she stopped. The door shrieked.  
- Who's there?  
Silence. Nothing moved.  
- Mégane, you're becoming too careful... it was just the wind – said Elenthe - ... I hope...  
The corridor was long, clean and quiet. In the end, they arrived to a small door.  
Mégane looked at her companions, then nodded and swung it open.

The quiet was gone, they ended in total chaos. Pixies, grigs and other small faeries attacked them from every direction... she didn't know where to hit... Elenthe was lost in the middle of creatures like her...

Suddenly Mégane heard two terrifying noises. First, a crack from the ceiling... second, a hiss from before her feet.  
- Ellie! Come back! – a huge stone wall began to descend between her and the pixies. Thya managed to get out, but Elenthe was kept back.  
- Help! Mégane!  
But Mégane looked down... a snake hissed. She moved back too fast...

She felt the piercing pain on her leg... the poison... she heard the stone wall closing down, Elenthe's voice shut... all was dark... then she had no more clear thoughts.  
Then, like she was dragged away... she smelt fresh air...  
- Ellie... – she whispered.  
Some kind of sweet juice on her lips...

Had she gone to heaven? Was she drinking with the Gods? She opened her eyes for a second, and saw a pair of eyes staring at her. Then everything darkened again. Maybe it was Fenthick... was she with him?

_But the eyes were green, not hazel._


	19. Pixies' tale

Her head hurt. Everything was black. Was Mégane unconscious as well? Being bound to her sometimes could be so annoying...  
- Aw… - she rubbed her head, messing up her short, thick fresh green hair – where am I?  
She looked around. A small room, with marble pavement and walls. She was lying on a soft blanket, covered by a white napkin, laid on a table.  
- Uhm… - her lively black eyes quickly moved around, while she put on a serious and suspicious expression – this must be the Nymph's Lair.  
She smiled satisfied, thinking how clever she was.  
- The Nymph's Lair… great – she closed her eyes, but a second later she opened them wide, horrified – aaargh! A Nymph! I hate nymphs! A nymph made me her slave! I wanna get out! HELP!  
She threw down the napkin and started flying around, banging her tiny fists against the walls. No answer from anywhere.  
- I'm a slave… where's Mégane? Where's Thya? Now I'm doomed to serve some stupid nymph…  
She stayed silent for a second, then started screaming again.  
- THIS IS MY WORST NIGHTMARE!  
Suddenly a small door opened and a male pixie flew inside.  
- Ah… - he began, but didn't have time to finish.  
- Now you will ask me to go and serve that stupid nymph!  
- Actually, I…  
- Aah! – something cracked inside Elenthe, her wings closed, and she fell to the ground enervated. (**Note: ALWAYS act logically and try listening to others! This was a baaad** **example of prejudice… in fact, NOTHING happened to her and she'd already need a psychologist…**)

Aw… - (2nd time) Elenthe opened her eyes, to find herself on that soft blanket again.- Finally, you're awake! – said the male pixie of before – I…  
- Hee-yah! – and Elenthe gave him a huge kick on the chin, making a spectacular turnaround pirouette in midair.  
He flew directly to the other side of the small room, and ended on his back.  
- Why did I get this? – he cried, holding his aching jaw (Ellie's divinely-reinforced snakeskin shoes were kinda hard).  
- You know exactly why! – Elenthe floated in midair in a royal position, as if she was a victorious Queen.  
- I have no idea! – he replied – I just wanted to ask you if you were all right, and if you wanted some fresh nectar!  
Elenthe looked at the chalice made of a small lily beside the blanket she was lying on before from the angle of her eye.  
- Poison, heh? To make me serve your stupid nymph? I'm not fooled that easily!  
- I swear it's not!  
- Niiice lie, boy… I can see through you very clearly… you're transparent like a crystal window!  
- And you're foolish as a mad cow! Ellie, am I right?  
- For you I am _Lady Elenthe the mighty pixie named after the Whalebone Waterbell of the once-glorious city of Myth Drannor_! „Ellie" is reserved to my friends.  
- And arrogant as an elven noble-woman as well! Tell me, did I hurt you?  
- You made me a prisoner!  
- Let me tell you what happened… in fact, I saved your life from those stupid grigs and nixies who were planning to make you drown in the nymph's swimming pool. I brought you here, and prepared something to eat and drink – he stayed silent a moment as he flew up and stretched – I am Naryd, a _free_ pixie of the woods. I came here as a trick because the animals I used to call friends started attacking me, and I thought this nymph may know something. But she takes perfect count of her servants, so I had to make a plan.  
- Why should I listen to you? – Elenthe stuck her nose up.  
- You're not forced to – Naryd opened his arms.  
Elenthe sighed.  
- All right, bring it on… at least it's a cute tale.  
Naryd looked at her with piercing eyes. Her eyelids didn't even flicker.  
- So, as I was saying – he flew over to the lily chalice and took a sip of the nectar – I secretly entered her lair at night, knowing that she usually leaves a pixie to guard the entrance from inside… I had to investigate for weeks. Back to topic, I entered, and the pixie attacked me, of course. But I was more skilled. So, when the grigs and nixies got there, they found a dead pixie and another one dressed like the guard, proudly saying that he had killed the intruder.  
- Results? – asked Elenthe, as she picked up the chalice and looked suspiciously at the liquid inside it.  
- Nothing – sighed Naryd – she doesn't even seem disturbed by anything.  
- Weird – said Elenthe, staring at a drop of nectar on her finger – this looks like totally normal nectar…  
- It _is_ totally normal nectar – said Naryd from behind her.  
Elenthe felt thirsty. Eventually she gave up and slowly pulled the chalice to her lips, still gazing at Naryd from the angle of her eye.

My master's investigating on the woods' mystery as well – began Elenthe – and she came here to seek for a solution from the nymph… but I can see she won't find it.  
- Maybe she will – Naryd shrugged – I suppose the nymph doesn't tell too much to her servants. And I'd make her suspicious asking her directly.  
- Hm. Now – Elenthe flew up – show me the way out.  
- Already going?  
- As far as I know, I'm not the nymph's servant, and not even your true love or anything, so I'd like to get back to Mégane as soon as I can!

Naryd led her to a closed door.  
- You see, the nymph has locked herself away and ordered to the grigs and nixies to barricade the house, as she was afraid of another intruder since you three came here. Now… I guess the keyhole is the only way out.  
- Have you gone insane? I'll break my wings inside there!  
- Well, if you don't even try, then…  
- All right, all right!  
Elenthe closed her wings flat, and slowly crept through the strict keyhole.  
- Phew – she sighed, once out – now, let's find Mégane.  
„Where are the thanks?" thought Naryd.

_Hope you enjoyed - Sofia :-)_**  
**

**From the next chapter: Elenth will find Mégane; and soon Aarin Gend, waiting for her at Port Llast, will think she's away because of the cult, while there's a totally different reason behind it all...**


	20. Back again

**Sorry if I made you wait, I was occupied with my SoU fic - just received SoU, it's great!**

We'll have to find Ellie! And _now_! – for the thousandth time, Mégane tried to stand up, but Wyvern kept her back.  
- Listen, you've just drank the antidote for that snake's poison! And if you start running around, I'm afraid it won't work! You need some rest!  
- And just how come you're so interested about me now? What would happen if I got ill, or died? What do you want from me, basically? I let you keep your ear, and let you go as well! Shouldn't you be already hundreds of miles away, living happily in the depths of the woods?  
- Well, I saved your life and now I want to be sure I really did it! Getting the nectar for that potion wasn't so easy, now that the animals have gone mad!  
- Thyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaa! Do something!  
Wyvern looked at the hawk, and she stayed in place.  
- What? – asked Mégane.  
- She knows perfectly you need rest, just as I do!  
Mégane threw Wyvern a killer look, then reached for her sword, though she knew it was gone. Wyvern wanted to be sure.  
„Thya… should I trust her or not? But if she knows that I need rest… and I wanna live…"  
_An image. Ellie dying. Her blood flowing through her fingers. Fenthick's execution…_  
She knew she had no time to waste. She needed her best friend back. Just a second, as Wyvern wasn't looking…  
- Hee-yah! – Mégane punched Wyvern on the chin, then rolled over and stood up, ready to run away.  
But Wyvern wasn't a broken down snail, and catched her from behind, then pushed her to her back on the ground.  
- What's wrong with you? Do you wanna die to never see Ellie back , or…  
Mégane tried to push him away, they rolled over.  
- Listen, I already lost her once, and don't want to live that experience again!  
Wyvern pulled her back, they rolled over again.  
- Just a few hours, then you'll be able to go! And that bite mark on your leg still has to heal!  
Mégane struggled again, and they rolled over once more.  
- I really want to…  
- Huh, I see you got over Fenthick quickly – said Elenthe, scratching her head – did I… erm… disturb you…?  
- ELLIE! YOU'RE ALIVE! I LOVE YOU! AAAHHH! – Mégane tore herself off Wyvern's arms and ran to her best friend, who could hardly breathe after she kept on hugging and kissing her.  
- So, now that she's safe – suggested Wyvern – shouldn't we sit back?

Ah, Mégane – Elenthe sat on her head and played with her dark red hair – what were you two doing exactly a couple of minutes ago?  
Wyvern threw her a „shut up" look, but Mégane just smiled.  
- Fighting – she shrugged her shoulders.  
- Do you have to embrace each other to fight?  
- Ellie… please. And, without my sword, yes!  
- All right then – the pixie grinned at Thya, who shook her head closing her baby blue eyes.  
- So – Wyvern prepared a new piece of cloth to cover Mégane's wound – you said you were investigating on the forest's mystery as well?  
- How come you talk so much when you're with Mégane?  
- Ellie! – said Mégane, Wyvern and Thya in unison.  
- Sorry – she giggled.  
- Well, I used to call the animals friends, and they're attacking me, and I think that's more than worrying, that's all! And I think I can't help this alone, since even trying my best ranger skills, there was no result. Anyway, I suppose the Nymph's Lair was a good place to start, but first you should have prepared yourself against the dangers inside there.  
- I didn't know a thing about them.  
- That's exactly the point. I do.  
- Whoa! What a hero! – Elenthe brought her hands to her heart – and now you're gonna help Mégane find the solution and…  
- Thya quickly grabbed her collar and dragged her away.  
- Mégane smiled at Wyvern a bit confused, but his face remained still.

Mégane spent the night under that tree, guarded by Wyvern. The morning after she was finally ready to go and investigate again.  
- Will you come then? – she asked Wyvern.  
- I will.

They walked up to the Nymph's Lair in silence.  
- Damn, it's closed! – Mégane gave the door a huge kick – and I can't open it… it's protected against spells, and Ellie… Ellie?  
- Well, I think I have a solution… - she sighed heavily – though it'll take some time… and don't worry about me!  
Before anyone could stop her, she crept through the keyhole.  
- Naryd! Naryd! – (oh, how I hate that guy! It's so humiliating to ask for his help…) – Where are you? NARYD!  
Suddenly she was pushed to the ground and a hand closed her mouth.  
- Ssh! – whispered Naryd – do you _really_ want to make the full army of girgs, nixies, snakes and nymph slaves to run here?  
- Mmh! – Ellie was getting incredibly annoyed – Mmh mmh mmh mhmmh!  
- What? – Naryd removed his hand from her mouth.  
- TAKE YOUR DIRTY HANDS OFF ME!  
- Silence! – Nayrd closed her mouth once again and pushed her in an angle – listen, I don't want to be rude, but you don't want to get killed, do you?

He took her to the small room where they first met.  
- Finally! – Elenthe took a huge gasp of air and shook her arms – brr, you touched me all over!  
Naryd rolled his eyes, and decided not to comment.  
- So – he sighed – what do you want from me?

**Hope you liked it - Sofia. And Firilya, here's Naryd! You liked him, didn't you? **


	21. Ellie and Wyvern

- Ta-daaah! – Elenthe held her arms high as the door of the Nymph's Lair opened from inside.  
- How… - began Mégane, then she saw Naryd – ah, was it him? Niiice, Ellie, I see you've found a cute guy…  
Elenthe gave Naryd a punch without too many comments, then hissed:  
- He's not my boyfriend. Just Naryd, no more and no less.  
Mégane threw a healing spell on Naryd, then they all walked inside.  
- Yeah, my name is Naryd, and I'm investigating on the woods' mystery, just as you. So, I think we should cooperate, since I know the Nymph's Lair quite well. The guards are in the rooms, I guess the corridor should be safe for now – said Naryd – anyway, I think we should separate.  
- Why? – asked Mégane – just lead us to the Nymph's room, then…  
- There are two ways to get there, both usually guarded just by a couple of nymph slaves. If we walk all together, the guard nixies and grigs will surely see us, and send upon us the whole army complete even of snakes and giant spiders! _(Mégane shivered)_ But if we alk separately, they will see only little of us, and think we're not a great danger, and consequently call way less warriors to strike down on us. And so we can surprise the Nymph from two directions.

- Here – Naryd took a large leaf off a shelf and picked up a piece of ash from a torch – I'll draw an approximative map. The group which will not be with me will take it.  
Elenthe quickly snatched the map from Naryd.  
- Ellie! But… - he stammered.  
- How many times do I have to tell you to call me ELENTHE? And I'm taking the map for one thing is sure: I'm not coming with you!  
- All right, Naryd, come with me and Thya! – said Mégane – Ellie, you stay with Wyvern.  
- WHAT? – Wyvern seemed to fall out of his quiet attitude and his usually calm face showed an expression which was a weird mixture of fear, surprise and horror.  
- What's the matter? – asked Mégane.  
- Huh… nothing… nothing at all…

- You'll have to excuse Ellie, Naryd – said Mégane as they walked on the silent corridor – even I find it difficult to understand her sometimes, though we're soul sisters.  
Naryd nodded silently, his dark green hair falling over his eyes. His stare was lost somewhere, as if he was dreaming.  
- What's up, Viv? – asked Elenthe, lying on Wyvern's head and playing with his soft black hair – why didn't you want to come with me?  
He let out a silent groan and didn't answer.  
- No danger for now – continued the pixie undisturbed – I can't see anything coming in front of us. If we can trust the map Naryd (ugh!) gave us, now you'll have to turn right…  
She sat up and folded out the large leaf.  
- Hey, Viv! According to the map, here there'll be a room full of…  
Wyvern opened the door.  
- …grigs and nixies!  
Wyvern slammed it closed.  
- Phew, Viv! You should listen to me and… hey! Let me go!  
Wyvern's fist closed around Elenthe.  
- Do. Not. Call. Me. Viv. Was. I. Clear?  
- Why? I think it's sooo cute! And now, let's get into action!  
Wyvern opened the door again, and took out his bow and his dagger.  
- Ellie the pixie and Viv the ranger are killing the evil ones! Legendary heroes! – shouted Elenthe, flying as a rocket against their enemies.

Meanwhile, the other company arrived to the door of a great hall.  
- The Nymph holds a prisoner here – said Naryd – I saw him a couple of times, he's quite an attractive elven male. I think she uses him for…  
Thya hissed and Mégane nodded. Then they opened the door.  
- Who are you? – asked the young elf, sitting on a rug. He had shoulder-lenght light brown hair and deep blue eyes.  
- Not a Nymph, that's for sure – said Mégane – and you?  
- Terari, a druid of Aawill's camp. I came to investigate, and the Nymph trapped me… and charmed me…  
- Have you found out anything?  
- No…  
- I am Mégane, a fellow druid. Aawill sent me to find you. Can you find the way out alone?  
- I suppose yes… thanks! I have to go and tell Aawill.

Wyvern's enormous patience started wearing extremely thin. Elenthe didn't stop talking for a second – and kept on calling him Viv, Vivvy, Wyvy and stuff like that. But he knew he couldn't simply kill her unless he wanted to be slain by Mégane.  
- According to the map, this is the door! – pointed Ellie in front of themselves, and accidentally giving Wyvern's head a huge kick, obviously without even noticing.

But by then, Mégane, Naryd and Thya were already in front of the Nymph.  
She didn't even let them begin but immediately threw a spell on Mégane.  
- You're mine! A new slave! – she laughed.  
Mégane didn't feel anything, but had a quick intuition.  
- So – said the Nymph – now you'll put on this cute little dress and go to clean my kitchen! Then my prison, my…  
- Forget it! – said Mégane – first, that dress is of a disgusting colour; second, I wouldn't clean your kitchen even if I was dead!  
The Nymph made a step back.  
- But… what… how come…?  
She didn't even have time to recover from the surprise when Elenthe flew in as a bomb, screaming, with Wyvern right behind her.  
- Let's destroy the evil Nymph! Yah! Yeh! Zac!  
- All right, Ellie, calm down now… - said Mégane, gently taking her pixie in her hand and pulling her closer to her.


	22. Love is all around

**OMG! This story has more than 1 year now! Though I'm gonna be very busy this year, I'll post longer chapters and finsih it before its second birthday! Will have depth, and I won't rush things up. Hope you'll all read this till the very end! After this and Ranni's story finishes, it'll be time for Myrthia to descend to the Undardark! Story under construction. Hope you'll read that one as well - Sofia :-)**

- I just came here to ask you about the Spirit of the Forest, and what did I get? Attacks, poison… - said Mégane- I-I'm really so sorry – the Nymph didn't know what to say.  
- Okay, apologies accepted – Mégane rolled her eyes – do you know anything about it?  
- My magic – she looked at her hands – my magic is weakening… so I decided to stay here since it all began.  
- When, exactly?  
- I have no sense of time like yours, my half-elven friend. I just know that I was sitting under a tree near the waterfall, when I saw a dwarf standing beside an altar in the water… he picked up a dagger, pierced it in his heart and fell in the water. I walked back a bit later and he had disappeared, but the dagger was still there, without traces of blood.  
- May I see that dagger?  
- It has to be in one of these chests around.  
Mégane knelt down and took the dagger out of the chest. Beside it she found a mirror. Elenthe picked it up before she could look into it and…  
- Wow! – screamed the pixie – I knew all along that I was pretty, but this gives me the perfect evidence!  
- Let me see! – Naryd looked into it as well – oh, how cute am I!  
- Bleah! – Elenthe threw the mirror apart – if it makes this guy look pretty, it has to have a problem…  
Mégane lifted it up.  
- Oh. Have I turned into Miss Toril?  
- That makes everything more beautiful than it is – giggled the Nymph.  
Mégane quickly put it in her bag.  
The Nymph suddenly took out a short knife and cut off a lock of her hair.  
- Take this – she handed it to Mégane – I can sense magic around you, and I've heard people like you can use this for spells. And, about your quest… maybe that horrible witch of Setara knows something about it. She lives in some dungeon to the East.  
- Thanks – nodded Mégane.

**An extract from Mégane Fireland's diary**

_So in the end everything went right at the Nymph's Lair. I think I have an idea about how to reach the Spirit of the Forest. By then, Wyvern found us a place where we can stay in peace. I think we all need some rest now, and…_

- Mégane? – Wyvern entered the tent.  
- Yes? – she looked up.  
- Oh, sorry… I didn't mean to disturb you.  
- No, it's okay – she smiled and put her diary away – it's just my diary.  
- As a little boy, I used to have a diary as well… - Wyvern looked at her. Then something incredible happened. The angle sof his lips started moving. First only slowly… then _Wyvern smiled._ What is more, he smiled _truly and brightly_.

- Hey Thya, aren't they a lovely couple? – asked Elenthe – aaah, just look at them!  
Mégane and Wyvern were sitting beside the fire in front of the tent.  
Thya slowly shook her head.  
- You said the same even with Mr. Lady Aribeth! And oh, where did it end…  
Thya slapped her head with one of her wings. Elenthe could really annoy her sometimes.  
- Do as you wish – the pixie stuck her tongue out – I say they're a lovely couple, and what I say is true!

Night came. Mégane and Wyvern sat in the tent at the light of a candle (Elenthe: ah, what a romantic scene…!), Thya stayed on a branch of the tree near them.

„I have the strange feeling that somebody is following me!"  
Elenthe flew around the trees, looking into the bushes and exploring the flowers, hoping to find somebody – or something. No success. But she felt she didn't need to protect Mégane, Wyvern, or Thya. That „thing" was following her and only her.  
Suddenly she heard a soft noise. Leaves moving behind her. She turned around quickly.  
Green leaves. But one was even too green.  
She grabbed it and pulled it out.  
Naryd screamed in pain as Elenthe almost tore off one of his wings.  
- What do you want? – she asked.  
- Ellie, I… the Nymph set me free, well, actually, you know, I have never been one of her servants, so I wanted to come with you.  
- Niiice. And, instead of asking, you keep on following me across the forest?  
- What would you have answered if I asked?  
- NO! Of course – she answered.  
- That's the reason why, Ellie.  
- _Elenthe_!  
- Ellie.  
- _ELENTHE_!  
- Ellie.  
She stuck her nose up as she sat beside him on the branch. Their wings were touching.  
- I hate you – she hissed.  
- Why? I have never done anything wrong.  
- You were treating me as if I was your girlfriend!  
- Ellie.  
- What?  
- Is that enough to hate me?  
By now, even their knees were slightly touching.  
- Yes! I'm not your girlfriend!  
Their hands touched slightly.  
- Any more reasons, Ellie?  
- I hate you, that's all.  
- Do you? – he turned to her.  
- Oh, I do – she kissed him – you can count on that.

The light of the candle was fading slowly. Wyvern's green eyes now seemed calm and quiet.- Mégane?  
- Yes?  
- Rememeber the day when we first met?  
- As it was yesterday evening, I do.  
He smiled.  
- Mégane… can you tell me more about you? You listened to my story, but I didn't listen to yours.  
Her eyes darkened.  
- Oh, I'm sorry – Wyvern moved back – I…  
- It's not your fought – she shook her head – it's mine. I just can't go on… I feel like I can't get over it…  
- Mégane… - he gently touched her hand – maybe telling someone could help.  
- Did you ever tell anyone your story?  
- I kept on killing and destroying with no reason. After I told you it all… I felt like the weight on my heart became lighter. I feel… relieved. Maybe for you it's different, so…  
- He died before my eyes. He was hung there, and I had to watch as people cheered at his death. He called my name!  
She looked up at Wyvern, wiping away her tears.  
- And I couldn't help him! And just an hour before…  
She couldn't continue. She just locked her arms around herself.  
- Just an hour before… he died just and hour after… I… him… us…  
Wyvern lightly placed a hand on her back without saying a word.  
The light of the candle kept on fading.  
- Sorry – said Mégane after a short time.  
- For what?  
She winced.  
- Mégane… - Wyvern lightly caressed her back. She trembled.  
- I… I feel like…  
- Hm  
- Like I'm… I'm weak…  
- Mégane…  
- And I… I still bear this secret…  
- You told me all this… and I won't tell anyone…  
- Viverna, I…  
- My real name! Mégane, you remembered…  
- I did…  
- No one has called me that since… I don't know when… I…  
- I…

The light of the candle immediately went off as their lips touched for a slight second.  
Then Mégane pulled away and turned on her side. He stood silent as well. It was a bit too much for both of them.

„I've hurt his memory" thought Mégane.

„What… what was that?" thought Wyvern.

Wyvern just couldn't sleep. Mégane was lying beside him, turning her back to him. Did they really kiss…?

Mégane just couldn't sleep. Wyvern was lying beside her, turning his back to her. Did they really kiss…?

If so, why?

„Oh, Fenthick… you still live in my heart and I…"

Wyvern noticed Mégane's body shiver. She was awake. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She trembled, but didn't say a word.

„Fenthick… but you just wanted me to be happy"

Mégane turned to Wyvern and laid her head against his chest. Wyvern embraced her. Without saying a word, they both understood and soon fell asleep.


	23. Message 2

This is just to let you know I'm still alive and all, just that I felt messed up around here, you see, I know exactly the last chpaters for both my NWN stories, just can't write down what happense in between...

So, as soon as I manage to, I will post Mègane's adventures through Port Llast and Luskan until Beorunna's Well in one long chapter - I suppose you'd better take it down to your computer instead of reading it up here. Ranni will have a second meeting with Noxas!

I miss many of my readers, like Shadow and Guan.

Firilya, I'm happy that you're my one faithful reader I think I can count on!

_Firilya, you can call me Ellie whenever you want, it's just that #& of Naryd that can't! - Elenthe xxx_


	24. Shadowhispers

**Oh well. Decided to cut it short, instead, and post short chapters more often, I'M SORRY!

* * *

**

**WARNING: This chapter may seem waaay too spiritual and hard to get, but if you try to imagine the situation, I mean, not read through it in 15 seconds and say "Junk! Bah!", but whenever I describe something, close your eyes and put yourself in Mégane's place, I think you'll feel what I mean. At least that's what my friend/tester said after reading it ;-b - Sofia

* * *

**

In the meantime, thousands of miles away, Maryah just couldn't sleep. The strange sensation that she often felt since Mégane's illness came to torment her once again. Something as if she was trembling inside… like when someone was watching her. She silently slipped off the bed, careful not to wake her husband, then crept into the small sanctuary room where she held her torch of the Holy Blue Fire (Luinenaul). She stared into it, praying. Suddenly her heart started beating faster. She felt the Fire's answer. „Show Mégane the way! Nature calls!" She said her dauighter's name as she held her hand out towards the blue glowing flame…

Mégane woke up with a start. _The Forest! The Forest! Nature holds a message for a fellow druid!  
_- Thya…? – she asked as she sneaked out of the tent. But no, the hawk was sleeping on a branch.  
- Ellie? Ellie! – she said then her pixie's name. But no, Elenthe was taking a nap by the hawk's side, snoring (!), though it rather sounded like a silent frush.  
Then she heard that voice again. And she felt as if she was burning inside… her head hurt. Some unexplicable attraction towards a point of the forest made her run as fast as she could through bushes and tiny streams, to find what would show her the way…

Just about two minutes later, Wyvern's green eyes opened. Silent as a shadow, he stood up and listened to the frush of the leaves. _Mégane! _He'd never experienced such a strong attraction before. He had to find her.

Mégane got to a huge oak, leaves silently falling around her. That was what she was looking for, though she still couldn't understand why. Then she began trembling inside. Someone was watching her. She chuckled as an owl flew off the branches. Then she saw it. _A&F_, carved into the tree. _Aribeth and Fenthick…_

- NO! – she screamed – let me go! You're gone, gone, gone, stop haunting me!  
Oh, how could she ever forget those sincere hazel eyes?  
Then a stronger wind made a branch cover the letters, and when it rose up again, the writing had disappeared. Mégane was just about to ask herself if she had only dreamt it or not, when the branch came down again, and ros eup a second time. A new writing had appeared.  
…_Mela…_

Maryah finally managed to fall asleep._  
_  
Mégane felt a great quiet spread through her whole body. The writing was gone again, but she knew what it meant. _Love is your reason!_

She began running again, and just stepped into a tiny crook when a shadow ran over her among the branches.  
- _Amin mela lle, Viverna!  
_The shadow descended.  
- Oh, Mégane! – he pulled her in for a warm hug – where have you been?  
- It doesn't count now – she felt a fire burning inside her – I'm here with you now, my dear…  
Wyvern's green eyes narrowed and as he let his long black eyelashes down, something began to shine inside them. No one had ever called him like that.

They stood there for what felt like an eternity. A cold breeze made Mégane's body tremble slightly.  
- Give me your warmth, Viverna…  
He just began stroking her back to warm her up a bit.

Mégane still couldn't understand what was actually going on that night. She always used to be so shy with men… except for that dark foggy morning when she gave herself to Fenthick… now she felt that she needed Wyvern inside her to be whole. _Love is the answer!_

_- Karnel a'amin, Viverna…  
_He opened his eyes, obviously shocked, both for the elven speech and for what she had said.  
- Here… and now…?  
She nodded.  
- But Mé-  
She closed his mouth with a kiss. _His wild love… though it had been roughly two days that they've known each other, she needed him._

A shiny falling star ran across the midnight sky, its light reflecting in the silvery water of the small crook.


	25. Mégane's rebirth

**I hope some of you still remember this story. I am really, truly, deeply sorry. Hope you will accept my apologies and read it.

* * *

**

- _Now_ I'm really getting worried! – Elenthe was sitting on a branch with Naryd.  
- Why? – he asked, shaking his shoulder-lenght dark green hair – I think they make a lovely couple…  
- It's not that! Just… this isn't the Mégane I'm used to. They hardly got out of that tent for a week!  
- Well, they're really in love…  
- Fine, fine, and of course I'm glad she's happy with him, but… this isn't natural. I'm afraid Fenthick's execution touched her too deeply, or… I don't know. But if he breaks her heart, he won't live long enough to do it to someone else!  
Naryd smiled.

Aarin Gend, in the meantime, was getting even more worried than Elenthe. He feared Mégane was tracked down by the Cult, and she wasn't showing up because of that. But he couldn't let his feelings show… especially with Aribeth. Her recent nightmares were worrying him; he couldn't leave her alone, or stress her with his own problems. Strangely, the paladin didn't even mention Mégane since she had left them.

**Diary extracts **

_Amin mela Viverna:-)  
But really, I do! _

Today Viverna took me to a secret creek with mysteriously sweet waters. I loved it!

I don't know, but I have the strange feeling I have forgotten something…

- Mégane? – said Wyvern on a sunny morning, caressing her cheek – I think it's time to keep on with your quest. The Spirit of the Forest.  
- _Our_ quest, Viverna – Mégane hugged him – yes. I think it's time.

While walking in the deep woods, suddenly Thya raised her head and screamed loudly, flying towards a cave.  
- She said someone's calling! – Mégane, Elenthe, Naryd and Wyvern quickly followed her.

- I think we's better be going! SAVE MEEE! – Mégane screamed hysterically at the sight of a gigantic spider crawling towards them at considerable speed.  
- Hush! – Wyvern shot right through it with a single arrow.  
- Is it over? – asked Mégane, eyes still closed – phew.  
Elenthe suddenly yelled louder than her master a second before, pointing at a bulb of spiderwebs.  
- IT'S MOVING! I swear, in a second there'll be hundreds of poisonous spiders jumping out of it and… oh.  
A halfling freed himself from the webs.  
- I am Orlane, fellow druid. Thanks for rescuing me! That spider wanted to eat me for dinner today! I'll have to get back to Aawill now. Thanks again!

A bit later, they got to another cave, protected by a large, ornate gate. Elenthe picked the lock and they entered. Libraries… corridors… all empty and silent.  
- Do you hear it? – Naryd raised his head – that way!  
A young, beautiful duid woman was screaming for help, trapped in a cell.  
- Free me! Free me!  
- Calm down! – Mégane sent Ellie over to pick the lock.  
- I am Bree – she said – now, keep my beauty in mind! I'm going back to Aawill.  
- A „thank you" would have been nice of her – said Mégane. Wyvern shrugged.

- Ew! I mean… good day! – Mégane said, as a horrible creature, barely recognisable as some sort of woman, looked at her coldly.  
- I am Setara. Leave my home now!  
- I'm sorry, I was just exploring…  
- Exploring what?  
- The forest, I…  
- The Nymph!  
- Yes… what?  
- She has refused to give my beauty back!  
- I don't get it…  
- She has a mirror that could make me beautiful again!  
The witch stared at the five of them.  
- Do you have it?  
- I have some sort of a thing, but it's fake…  
Setara snatched it from Mégane's hands, then just kept on staring into it.  
- I'M BEAUTIFUL! BEAUTIFUL AGAIN!  
Mégane shook her head and left.

They soon got to the altar the Nymph had mentioned. Mégane raised the dagger.  
- Wyvern?  
He shook his head.  
- Get back soon, my love. I'll guard the altar in the meantime.  
- Ellie? Thya? Naryd?  
- Well, I'll go with you even if I don't want to – the pixie opened her arms. As for Thya, the same. Naryd!  
- Ellie, I…  
- You'd die for me, right? – she asked cheekily – then…  
- Okay… I'll go. I'll tie a bond between us, so I'll folow you anywhere!  
- Wow, thanks! – Elenthe kissed him.  
Mégane smiled brightly.  
- Courage! – she screamed and planted the dagger in her chest…

She woke up lying on soft, green grass, an unusual calmness around. Shiny little stars floated in the air and sometimes rested on the ground. Thya seemed smiling.  
- Are we… where I think we are…? – asked Elenthe, holding close to Naryd.  
- Yes, Ellie – Mégane picked up one of the tiny stars – this is indeed the Realm of The Spirit of the Neverwinter Woods.

It was all so strange, looking like a dreamland. As if there was a soft veil around them, beyond which… nothing. Mégane walked slowly, taking deep breaths of the sweet-smelling air.  
Suddenly they ran into a dwarf.  
- I am Mégane Fireland – she said to him – and you?  
- You don't have to know my name, I'm here to play a game!  
- Excuse me…?  
- What are you doing here, half-elf? I'm used to be all by myself!  
- Please, stop speaking in rhymes, I…  
- Understand or at least try: it's time that you DIE!  
- WHAT…!  
Mégane pulled her shield in front of her just in time. Thya and the two pixies attacked immediately.  
As soon as the dwarf was dead, Mégane searched his corpse and found his diary. She had a repugnant feeling opening it. It was oozing evil.  
_Those mages directing the Cult of The Ancient Ones in the Host Tower at Luskan…  
_The Cult…!  
Mégane suddenly remembered her duty to Aribeth. She put the diary in her pack. Her attention was attracted by a shiny small bottle of golden fluid lying before the dwarf's corpse.  
- What is this?  
- Hmm… let me see – Nayrd smelt it – it looks like a cure… an antidote to something…  
Thya screamed. Mégane nodded and put the bottle away.

For another half an hour, they just kept on walking in the magical dreamland know as the Realm of the Spirit. All of a sudden, some sort of creature appeared in front of them. It looked like a shiny white deer. All four of them could feel it was a crucial moment.  
The animal raised its head, and Mégane could see a deep sorrow in those black eyes. She felt what to do, rather than knowing it. She made the creature drink the golden fluid…  
The little stars started swirling around, as their light grew. Mégane and her three companions lost consciousness.

They found themselves lying by the altar, beside the waterfall.  
- Did we…?  
- Did this all happen? Did we just dream it?  
Mégane searched for her bag and found thróe dwarf's diary.  
- We did.  
The forest seemed so calm now…  
- Viverna!  
Silence.  
- Viverna, where are you?  
Nothing. Just the frush of the leaves, and the wind.  
- Viverna!  
- Mégane, look! – Elenthe pointed at a small pack lying beside the river.  
Mégane sahkily picked it up…

_Dearest Mégane,  
thank you for all you have done for me. No one ever has shown such unselfish love to me. You have taught me to feel again, to find the right way. I truly love you, but I feel that I can't. We're worlds apart, Mégane, we could have been happy for a while, but not forever. I understood it right at the beginning, but not so clearly. I'm sorry. Be happy, Mégane, find your true match and take up the money for the bounty hunt.  
With love,  
Wyvern - for you, always Viverna _

Beside the letter, there was Wyvern's ear wrapped up in leaves.  
Mégane knelt there, completely mute. Nor Elenthe, Naryd or Thya dared to say anything.

A minute later, Mégane slowly stood up, putting the letter and the ear in her bag. Then she unfolded her sword and stuck it in the ground. She leant forward, as if meditating.  
- Let's go – she said then. Her companions followed her silently.

- Thank you, fellow Mégane. Terari, Orlane and Bree have returned at the camp, and the Woods have calmed down.  
Mégane bowed and walked back to Port Llast. She seemed numb.

Inside town, a handsome young man ran to her.  
- Oh, milady! Excuse me, your smile stunned me. What's your name, apart from „Perfect" and „Beautiful"?  
- She'll melt in his arms in a second – Ellie whispered to Naryd.  
- Stop with this _useless adulation_! – Mégane shouted angrily – I'm in no need of faked feelings! What do you want from me?

* * *

**R&R, if I could ask you. Constructive criticism is welcome.**


	26. Breakdown

- Naryd, I'm getting worried!  
- What's the matter, Ellie?  
- Come on, just look at her! Even Thya can feel it! And everyone!  
Mégane seemed a lonely warrior, with firm, serious eyes. Since a week, her three companions haven't seen her smile.  
- Liars! – she muttered angrily over the slain bodies of Tarran, Jaheel and Neva. Tarran was the handsome young man who approached her before, asking her to save his young brother from some bandits…

- Master Aarin Gend! I've got to talk to you.  
- Yes, Lady Fireland?  
- What…?  
- I told you to just call me Aarin.  
- Oh, yes… sure… then you'll call me Mégane, as always…  
- Oh, finally! – whispered Elenthe to Naryd, as some sort of a faint smile crossed Mégane's face.

- This letter – Aarin sat beside Mégane on a bed in a room upstairs – is of great imnportance to us!  
For Mégane had given him the letter she had looted from Neva's body.  
- Though, it does not yet tell us where the cult could have its base. I… I would ask you to keep on searching, but… please, be careful!  
- I am – she shrugged – no need to worry.  
Her stare was fixed on a rug on the pavement.  
- But Mégane, they're sending their most dangerous assassins after you! Really, I…  
He instinctively reached for her lock of hair, but she immediately pulled back and looked up at him.  
- Never! – she hissed evilly.  
Aarin looked at her slightly shocked. He simply couldn't hide his feelings at the sight of those once so deep and mysterious dark bluish-green eyes' hard and cold gaze.  
- I'll go now – Mégane picked up her bag and walked out of Kendrack's barracks.

- What's wrong with her…? – whispered Aarin to himself as she left.  
Lady Aribeth just sat on a chair, staring at the wall.

_Possible locations of the Cult…north road, orc caves… east road, troll caves… south road, off to Charwood…  
_Mégane closed her diary with a loud slam and sighed.  
- Hey, you three! Where should we begin?  
- That way! – Naryd pointed North.  
- No way, that way! – Elenthe pointed South.  
Thya simply turned her head eastward.  
- Thanks, Thya! – Mégane walked out Port Llast on the East road.

- What do you want, go back to the Forest or whaaaaaaaaaaaat? – Elenthe couldn't stop arguing since her friend decided to follow Thya's suggestions.  
Mégane rolled her eyes and simply kept on walking.  
Or well, she would have, if a horrible grunting noise didn't disturb her.  
- Attack! Now! – she raised her sword at the gigantic troll running towards them.

- What happened here? – she entered an archaeologists' camp, half ruined.  
- Oh, good morning, milady! – an old man approached her – it was the trolls.  
- And…? – she opened her arms – what were you doing here?  
- We are archaeologists, milady. I believe I have found out something extraordinary!  
- What, exactly?  
- Some ancient ruins under the troll caves! The trolls are afraid of going down there and… oh, it's amazing!  
- What is it? Tell me!  
- I… can't.  
- Why?  
- Because… most of my men got killed down there and… oh, how impolite of me! I am Jax.  
- Mégane.  
A short silence followed.  
- Maybe… - Mégane said – I could go down and take a look.  
"As long as it keeps me from thinking…"

Mégane raided through troll caves mercilessly killing anything she came across to. All the words her companions heard from her were about atatcking or staying back.

- I am seriously worried now, Naryd! – Elenthe shook the other pixie so hard that his hair went all messy.

- What is this? – Mégane knelt down next to a corpse, clutching a thick book – maybe an archaeologist's diary?  
_Synth La'neral.  
_- Where have I heard this name before…? Oh…!  
Mégane looked around. The exit to the left, and deeper caves to the right. She wondered for a moment, then put the diary away and turned to the right.

- Oh, dear! They're like… like _her_!  
- Who? – asked Elenthe -…oh. I see.  
- The lizard-woman!

- _The creators will rule the world again…_  
These were the last words of one of the lizard sorcerers Mégane killed that day.  
- I think this has to do with the cult… - she sheathed her sword – it reminds me of _her_.

To cut it short, sadly Mégane couldn't find anything useful for her search, but fighting all day long helped her in keeping her thoughts away from aynthing else. At least she found a few old tomes in the lizards' chests, to give them to Jax.

- May I take a nap in a room upstairs? – she asked Jax, who couldn't stop thanking her and staring in amazement at the books.  
- Sure, sure!

- Good evening, milady – a halfling greeted her – may I prepare you a drink?  
- Sure! – she said to the woman, who soon returned with a glass full of blue fluid.  
- Blueberry-tasting – she smiled – you'll like it.  
- Thanks! – Mégane lifted the glass to her lips.  
- NOOOOOOOOO!!! – Elenthe flew down and knocked it out of her hand, along with Thya and Naryd.  
- What…?  
- It's poison! I could smell it! – Elenthe screamed.  
- Who are you?! – Mégane immediately pushed her sword to the woman's throat, holding her against the wall.  
- Delilah… - she gave up.  
Mégane needed to hear no more. The Bulwark Prison. Delilah. _Wyvern…  
_  
- Clean up the mess upstairs, will you? – she left the building, holding Delilah's ear in one hand.

- Linu! Linu! Oh… there you are.  
Linu smiled birghtly.  
- Mégane, my dear friend! Let me hug you!  
- Linu… I found this. It has your second name, so… - Mégane handed her the diary she found – Synth La'neral? Do you know him?  
- SYNTH! – suddenly Linu fell on her knees – did you find him? Did he give this to you?  
- No, Linu… I… I found it on a corpse.  
- Do… he's definitely gone – a single tear ran down Linu's cheek.  
- Who was he?  
- My… husband. We had two enchanted diaries to communicate with each other and… oh, my love! He last wrote to me to always go on… I could feel the pain in his words… he told me he was in danger and… Mégane!  
Mégane stared at the ceiling as Linu placed a hand on her shoulder.  
- Mégane? What's wrong?  
- Love never lasts… - she turned around.  
- Mégane! – Aarin entered the room – finally! I… what happened.  
She looked at him with empty eyes.  
- Mégane! You refuse to tell me something, but please, I see you're not alright! What is it?  
- Nothing! Everything! I… I…  
- Mégane…? – Aarin couldn't help his instincts and caressed that lock of hair.  
The next moment Mégane fell in his arms unconscious.


End file.
